by David Chadwick

"Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth." Proverbs 5:18

This week, as we continue to look at some of the many proverbs that teach us how to live a righteous, godly, and successful life, we are going to focus specifically on some of the qualities of a godly wife.

Proverbs 5:18 says, "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth."

There seem to be two major directives here. Let's take a look at them together.

First, "Let your fountain be blessed." This implies that the love that a husband has for his wife is worthy of blessing. There is an overwhelming, almost intoxicating love that a husband is to have for a godly wife. It can also imply the fountain of love that produces children is a large blessing as well.

There is nothing better than a home where deep love exists between husband and wife, one that increases year to year. This kind of love produces an environment of grace, which allows kids to grow up in a healthy home and be raised as Christ followers.

If a man's life is a fountain, finding a Godly wife makes that fountain blessed and fruitful in every possible way.

Secondly, this verse seems to imply that husbands should regularly rejoice in the wife of their youth. This immediately speaks to the gift of a long-term marriage! One that lasts for decades. Where in old age, a man can reflect and rejoice in the wife of his youth. Where memories are shared and make each other laugh. Where love only grows with each passing year.

I most certainly have such a wife. I have such a marriage. And I celebrate with her an almost half-decade-long marriage, with a "fountain" of three kids and 12 grandkids; I am truly a blessed man. I am so thankful to be married to this kind of woman!

For you women out there, seek to be this kind of wife. And for you men out there, seek to be the kind of man who finds a wife in whom you can rejoice. Study God's Word and follow along with me this week as we learn about five attributes of a godly wife found in the book of Proverbs.