Scripture Ephesians 5:25-33 (TNIV)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church, for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However each one of you must also love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Observation
There is a deep intimacy with our relationship to Christ.
This is not really analogy, more a demonstration of what marriage should be.
Christ sees us as part of himself, goes to extremes for our nurture, care, growth, & sustenance, wants to see the best we can be - not for something nice to look at but because it shows we respect the love he shows towards us.
Application
If we start to really see how much Christ loves us then we can live to the potential HE sees.We do not see Christ as limited, so why see ourselves as limited when he has irrevocably attached himself to us. The more we recognize this the more we will grow like HIM and new life will come from our union with Christ.
Prayer
Help me to always see the love and care you give to me. To respect and reciprocate all that you are and offer. To grow and go out producing LIFE*.