We want to affirm the presence of the Lord here with us now, and this presence is truly a real presence. We do not want to say it is an absence — a mere memorial — and neither do we say it is an etheral, spiritualized presence, or that it is simply a raw material presence, crassly understood. Rather, God is present with His people, in His glory, through His covenant glory. And this means He is present in everything that we do.
The Lord gave ancient Israel the Shekinah glory to indicate His presence with them. This glory cloud was both a glory and a covering for them, as Isaiah says, and it indicated that God was present with His people, and that all was well with them. We are called to model this as we present ourselves before the Lord. A woman’s hair is given to her for a glory and a covering. This is not to be understood in a simplistic or legalistic fashion, but it is to be understood. It is a small, individual, but nonetheless lovely reiteration of the Shekinah glory.
When we seek the Lord’s presence with us, we cannot seek it for this portion of our lives and not for that portion. We cannot seek “spiritual blessings,” and then return home complacently to unhappy marriages and homes. Your presence at this meal prohibits such a thing. And this means that every week, God is calling you to put things right, or keep them right, in your marriage. He is dealing with you so that you will in fact do it. And as He does this, you wives should think of how you present yourselves — you are a lovely picture of God dwelling with His people and protecting us. You want two things: you want to make that statement, and you want it to be accurate.