Tag: A Little God Time For Couples

‘So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.’ Ephesians 5:33(NLT)

I don’t think any of us would argue with the fact that we love ourselves. We plan what makes us happy. We buy our favorite foods. We head for the most comfortable chair and turn the television stations to our favorite shows. Loving ourselves is easy. We say that we love our spouses and other people, but if we don’t watch it, that all-about-me mindset will creep in and take over. 

What if we put as much effort into loving our spouses? True love gives up the comfortable chair—and the (gasp!) remote. True love picks the restaurant our spouse loves even though we don’t really like the food there. True love says, “You are the most important thing in the world to me—even more important than me.” And something special happens as a result of that. The love that’s given away returns to us in a bigger portion, and it’s wrapped in respect from a spouse who feels loved and valued. 

How does it make you feel when you do something special for your spouse? How long has it been since you’ve done that? 

Lord, help me to put my spouse’s interests before my own. I acknowledge that life isn’t all about me, and I want my spouse to see that reflected in my words and actions.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.’ Exodus 20:12(NLT)

God set up marriage as an institution where a man and a woman would leave their parents and start their own families. That doesn’t mean that God wants us to forget about our parents—and he promises there are big benefits in honoring them. A smart couple will avail themselves of the wisdom their parents have accumulated over the years. They’ll ask for and listen to sage advice that will keep them from making mistakes they don’t have to make. 

A wise couple will set aside time to go see their parents, to call them, or to lend a helping hand whenever needed. As the years go by and their parents begin to need assistance, husbands and wives should honor the lifetime of love and care their parents gave them by returning the favor. God says that if we’ll honor our parents, we’ll live long in the land. Let’s determine that we’ll look back with sweet memories instead of regrets. 

How can you honor your mother and father? Do you carve time out of your schedule to be with them? 

Lord, give us hearts of compassion for our parents. Help us to honor them.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord .’ Leviticus 19:32(NLT)

One of the greatest blessings about extended family is the opportunity to learn from those who have more experience than you. Many young couples are fortunate enough to have parents or grandparents who have been married fifty years or longer. Being in the presence of those enduring marriages gives others a chance to learn the secrets of making marriage last. Looking at couples who have been married a long time, you can see the love on their faces accompanied by the lines and wrinkles of experience. 

As you build your marriage, draw from the tried and true wisdom of others. Copy the good things you see. Visit with those you respect and make note of their wisdom. God will bless your marriage and strengthen it when you do. 

Are there those in your family who have been married a long time? Take them out to dinner and soak up their wisdom. 

Lord, thank You that we can learn from others who have gone before us.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.’ 1 Peter 2:17(NLT)

Nancy watched Gary pull off the road. She knew he spotted the car ahead. An elderly lady was in the driver’s seat. She was crying. “Ma’am,” said Gary, “do you need help?” She looked at him and nodded. She was too upset to speak. Nancy looked at her husband of five years. She loved his tender side so much. He was always looking out for others. If he saw someone in need, he was the first to stop and offer help. 

Nancy felt blessed to have a man who loved and respected others. That part of his character transferred to their marriage. He was such a gentleman and respected her in every way. She had friends who weren’t as lucky. Every time she saw those friends with their husbands she said an extra prayer of thanks for Gary. His relationship with God was what drew her to him. Because his relationship with God was strong, God’s love flowed through him in everything. 

Can your spouse say that your relationship with God overflows in all you do? 

Lord, thank You that your love is the greatest love. Show us how to let your love flow through us.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”’ Revelation 4:11(NLT)

When you wake up and look at your spouse do you see bed head or smell morning breath and think, What have I done? Or do you thank God for making your spouse just for you. God created each individual, and even though we are different and flawed, the greatest thing about our mates is they are uniquely ours by God’s design. 

Respecting God’s creation for you is essential. You may have a few choice things to say about bed head, fingernail-biting, snoring, stinky feet, and more, but because you love and respect your spouse, you never say those things outside of the home. In public, you should respect and praise your mate openly. When you do, you are honoring God as well. Keep the jokes and jibes about flaws between the two of you. 

When was the last time you told your spouse you loved him or her despite any flaws or shortcomings? 

Lord, teach us to love each other as you love us. Help us to cover each other’s flaws by keeping them to ourselves.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude’ Psalms 4:4(NLT)

It’s easy to get mad at our spouses. They hurt us and make us more mad than anyone else—because they’re the closest to our hearts. It’s a gift of love when we bite back the angry words and stay quiet instead. And it’s an even bigger gift when we take the time to look inside the hearts of our spouses and think about ways we can love them more. 

We come to marriage with suitcases packed with all the baggage of our pasts. Scars of our past carry into our marriage and affect us in many ways. A wise husband or wife will ponder those things, looking for ways to help heal old hurts and gaining a better understanding of why their spouses react as they do. 

What scars did you bring to your marriage? Have you discussed them with your spouse? 

Lord, help us to be kind and loving. Keep anger from our relationship, and help us work to understand each other better.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘Be still in the presence of the Lord , and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.’ Psalms 37:7(NLT)

Have you and your spouse ever been in a situation where it seems like everyone else is prospering more than you? You’ve watched your friends wear their stilettos or power suits as they climbed the corporate ladder. You’ve seen photos from their exotic trips. And you’ve visited their gorgeous homes complete with fancy cars and gleaming boats in the garage. Meanwhile at your house, you’re stretching the budget by eating beans and rice. Your cheap car is falling apart, and your home needs repairs. 

Sometimes it’s hard not to be envious. It’s often difficult to understand when you’re trying to serve God and your friends aren’t. That’s when we’re wise to be still before God and to share our hearts with him. When we stop to think about it, we realize that we’re the ones who are truly blessed. Our homes might be humble, but they’re happy. Our trips might not be expensive, but they’re filled with laughter and love. Our riches aren’t in our possessions—they’re in each other. 

What makes you truly wealthy? When’s the last time you thought about how rich you are to have each other? 

Lord, help us to realize our true wealth lies in each other. Thank You for blessing us.

from A Little God Time For Couples

‘I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.’ Psalms 101:2-3(NLT)

Many of us make annual New Year’s resolutions, only to abandon them while the year is still young. The resolutions are usually great goals, but we lack the willpower to keep them. In Psalm 101, King David speaks boldly about his resolve to govern his kingdom and his home with integrity and righteousness. 

Have you considered making the same declarations for your home and your marriage? Would your behavior, attitudes, words, and choice of movies and entertainment change? Would you be more mindful of keeping your word and be less influenced by the world? We know that determination alone cannot carry us, but David knew that too. He could make these bold statements because he knew that God was loving, kind, fair, and dependable. God is the real power behind resolutions. 

Are the two of you willing to make David’s resolutions your own? How can you walk with integrity in every area of your life? 

Lord, we know that all the good intentions in the world are not enough. We want our lives and our home to be free of sin and filled with Your righteousness.

from A Little God Time For Couples