“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12
Tomorrow, my husband and I will celebrate our 10th Anniversary. Thinking back on all the festivities that surrounded our wedding, I remember the #1 advice I received before I married my husband was to “keep God first.” Simple advice, but it’s one of the hardest concepts to apply. Honestly, there were quite a few moments when we hit rocky times, that I didn’t seek God first nor did I want to. But over the years, I learned that our marriage could not survive without Jesus Christ being a central focus and without having prayer as our connection to Jesus Christ.
Our marriage survived hard times because we prayed together and we prayed for each other. I had to learn to pray for my husband…even at times when I didn’t want to. Even when he hurt my feelings, I had to put aside my selfish feelings and pray for him and pray for us. And when I hurt his feelings, there was nothing that put things in perspective more than when he reached for my hands in the mornings and prayed for us and our marriage. I love the God in him!
If you are struggling to keep God first in your marriage, I encourage you to pray these five scriptures over your husband and your marriage daily:
LORD, SHOW HIM HOW TO LOVE
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it” – Ephesians 5:25
Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of unconditional love. He loves us despite of our shortcomings and weaknesses. He loved us so much that He sacrificed Himself for us. That’s real love – gentle, putting another before themselves…and that’s the kind of love that God commanded for husbands to show toward their wives.
LORD, HELP HIM TO LEAD OUR FAMILY
“But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” – 1 Corinthians 11:3
Ladies, it’s biblical that a man who is led by God also lead his family. Yes, marriage is a team effort. But every team needs a leader in order to be successful. So, we need to support our husbands and encourage him as he leads the family to worship and as he works to be the provider and protector of the family.
LORD, STRENGTHEN HIM SPIRITUALLY
“The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” – Psalm 29:11
The husband, as the leader has so many responsibilities that he can feel weary at times or feel that the weight of the world is on his shoulders. It’s important that we pray that God empowers our husband with strength to deal with his day-to-day responsibilities and gives him peace at the end of the day.
LORD, BLESS HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3
I am so attracted to my husband when I see him committed to the work of the Lord. I know that his commitment to the Kingdom of God – whether it is being a part of the video ministry at church or teaching a bible study – will pay dividends spiritually and beyond. I know that because he is putting the work of God first, God is going to bless him with success in all aspects of life.
AND LORD, HELP ME TO BE A BETTER WIFE
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.” – Colossians 3:18
I have to admit that this is an area that I still struggle with – sometimes, that “independent woman” wants to rise up and take control of things. But, being submissive is not about losing control. It’s about respecting your husband as the leader. A few tips on how to show respect to your husband: encourage him, focus on his strengths and reassure him that you trust him to make the right decisions for you and the family.
Trust me, when you begin praying for your husband and your marriage and you start praying together, God will heal broken hearts, erase frustration, and give you peace to keep you through the good times and the bad times.
A Little More Faith 