Love covers

Love covers a multitude of sins......

Advice remembered

A pastor once said something about marriage that I will always remember.  He said, "There will be things about that person (your spouse) that you hate, but you choose to overlook those things."  That has really helped me over the years.  I hope it helps you, too.

Sticks and Stones?

Sticks and stones can indeed break bones, but the wounds caused by words are not so easily mended.  What words are we using towards our spouse this day?  Are they words of encouragement or criticism?  Words of kindness or belittlement? 

"Encourage one another and build each other up." (I Thess. 5:11)  Sometimes we have to ask for help with this one.  God is faithful to change our negative feelings and give us the ability to say encouraging words.  It might not happen with the first prayer but over days and weeks, change will come.

Looking up for healing

Life happens.  Amidst those happenings, we may one day find ourselves suffering from a broken heart.  This brokenness can come from something other than our marriage.  "He heals those with a broken heart." Psalm 147:4   We can look to our spouse for healing; he is part of the process.  But in the end, our healing is from God.  Heal us, Lord.

Reminding God of His own words

Pray that this will characterize your marriage:

Psalm 133

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious oil upon the head that ran down unto the beard, even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.  Like as the dew of Hermon, which fell upon the hill of Zion.  For there the Lord promised his blessing, and life for evermore.

Katie Luther

Try googling: "Martin Luther's wife" and you'll read some great things about Katie Luther. 

Martin Luther once said of his wife, “I would not want to exchange my Katie for France nor for Venice to boot; to begin with (1) because God has given her to me and me to her; (2) because I often find that there are more shortcomings in other women than in my Katie; and although she, of course, has some too, these are nonetheless offset by far greater virtues; (3) because she keeps faith and honor in our marriage relation.”

"Out of all the world, you have chosen me."

This prayer was a favorite part of my daugher's wedding:

O God of love, Thou hast established marriage for the welfare and happiness of mankind.  Thine was the plan and only with Thee can we work it out with joy. Now their joys are doubled since the happiness of one is the happiness of the other.  Their burdens are halved because they divide the load.

Bless this husband.  Bless and sustain him in all the exactions and pressures of life.  May his strength be her protection, his character be her boast and her pride, and may he so live that she will find in him the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs. 

Bless this loving wife.  Give her tenderness  that will make her great, a deep sense of understanding and a great faith in Thee.  Give her that inner beauty of soul that never fades, that eternal youth that is found in holding fast the things that never age.

Teach then that marriage is not living merely for each other; it is two uniting and joining hands to serve Thee.  Give them a great spiritual purpose in life.  May they seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the other things shall be added unto them.

May they not expect that perfection of each other that belongs alone to Thee.  May they minimize each other’s weaknesses, be swift to praise and magnify each other’s points of comeliness and strength, and see each

other through a lover’s kind and patient eyes.

Now make such assignment to them on the scroll of Thy will as will bless them and develop their characters as they walk together.  Give them enough tears to keep them tender, enough hurts to keep them humane, enough of failure to keep their hands clenched tightly in Thine, and enough success to make them sure they walk with God. 

May they never take each other’s love for granted, but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims, “Out of all the world you have chosen me.”

When life is done and the sun is setting, may they be found then as now hand in hand, still thanking God for each other.  May they serve Thee happily, faithfully, together, until at last one shall lay the other into the arms of God. 

This we ask through Jesus Christ, great lover of our souls.  Amen.