‘Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18(NLT)
‘And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.’ 1 John 5:14-15(NLT)
‘“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”’ Matthew 18:19-20(NLT)
‘Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! ‘ Hebrews 13:1-2(NLT)
‘And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.’ Hebrews 10:25(NLT)
I barely remember riding in cars that did not have seat belts. Then seat belts became standard equipment but no one really used them much. In my family growing up, we wore them when we traveled out of the city but not in the city. Then people began doing studies which showed that seat belts actually saved lives. It was an evolutionary process from no seat belts, to seat belts, to seat belts work. Today there are signs that remind us to ‘buckle up’ but most of us already have before we see the sign. Buckle up: it makes sense and it saves lives.
Do you ‘buckle up’ your marriage? Do you do the things to keep it safe? Here are two suggestions.
First, pray together. I can hear some of you saying, I can’t do that. That would be too weird. Yet, you can do that and yes, at first, it may be weird. People ask me, “what is one thing I can do to improve my marriage?” My answer 100% of the time is pray together. Pray for each other. Pray silently together. Pray out loud together. There is no magic formula. Just start today and pray.
Second, worship together. There is something special that happens when we worship with our spouse. In Genesis 2, we see God spend time with Adam and Eve together. There was something very special about that and it is a model for us. Worship together every week with your spouse. It will make a difference.
Buckle up. Keep your marriage safe. Pray. Worship. Start now.
Today’s Challenge:
1. What are you doing today to keep your marriage safe?
2. If the two of you are not praying together, why not begin today? Keep it simple and stay at the comfort level of the one who is least comfortable.
3. Do you worship together each week. If not, will you commit to begin this weekend?
Going Deeper:
Keeping your marriage safe is really about putting God exactly where He wants to be and that is right in the center of your marriage. Together commit to put Him there and keep Him there every day.
from Traffic Signs And Your Marriage – Part 2 by Dr. Kim Kimberling