If he allows this to happen, then sooner or later he will prefer one relationship to the other. Probably his choice will be either the reality of his relationship with God, or sex with his wife and a blinding of his eyes to the occult. I don't suggest this is the only choice; however choice of some sort there will be. If a man is going to love God and his wife, there must be the same relationship between himself and his wife, as there is between himself and God. Then there will be no divided loyalty for him; he will be honouring one set of standards and not two. Emma or Madame Bovary was right; union between husband and wife is either in the invisible mystical world, or it does not exist at all.
I have read Mr. Oliver Davies's recent article on the medieval Welsh text “The Food of the Soul”. The text seems to say very much what I am saying: that affectionate love (as opposed to foolish love) is divided into two kinds: love of God and love of neighbour. The same love; but different in degree. I agree with Mr. Davies's conclusion that this is only possible if God indwells the human soul; and he says in the medieval world this idea must be sought in the pagan tradition of bardic inspiration, not in the Bible. I believe this indwelling is the key to being competent and effective in the world of affairs, without in any way being disloyal to God; and in Wales, they appear to have known this for long enough. Mr. Iestyn Daniel has recently published “Ymborth yr Enaid”, The Food of the Soul, Caerdydd Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru 1995, for those who want to study further.
So the purpose of a man trying to reconcile God and a wife is twofold; firstly, reality in one's relationship and love for God through co-operation with him, leading to reality in one's relationship and love for one's wife. When a man is able to see his wife as a complete person, then he is in a position to say she is the most wonderful person in the world. She probably is for him; but he…