Love Your Spouse Like This
Love Your Spouse Like This
Lord, what is your vision for marriage?
A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.
Ephesians 5:31; Hebrews 13:4; Ephesians 5:21-22, 25
What is the one thing that will keep a marriage together?
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
Colossians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
What can I pray over my marriage?
Make my love for others and for all people grow and overflow, just as your love for me overflows.
1 Thessalonians 3:12
God designed marriage to bring us joy, intimacy, and companionship. However, he also intended for it to be refining, to help each spouse grow in holiness and in the love and likeness of Jesus. Transformation often happens through the tough parts of marriage—sacrifice, forgiveness, and grace. The rewards of a strong marriage are worth the hard work. Spend time meditating on Ephesians 5:21-22 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 while praying for your marriage to reflect the love these passages illustrate. As you read, what stands out to you? Is there anything convicting? In what area would you like to see you and your spouse become more united?
From the book
