Tag: One: A Marriage Devotional

‘Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”’ John 4:13-14(NLT)

Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:13-14)

In the fourth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus ministered to a Samaritan woman who had been married five times and was currently living together with a man. She was at a well near her hometown, drawing water. She was there by herself, a clear indication that she was an outcast in her community—other women avoided associating with her.

But Jesus loved her. He didn’t approve of her lifestyle—but He valued her as a person. He also knew the root cause of her marriage problems and was there to help her solve her chronic issue with men. The problem was that she was looking for men to meet needs within her that only God could meet.

We have four basic human needs that drive all of us at all times. Those needs are acceptance, identity, security, and purpose. Even though we can get these needs met on a human level to a degree, only God can truly meet these needs on the deepest level. This was the water Jesus was referring to that would completely satisfy the inner thirst that men had never been able to quench.

The most important issue in marriage is our personal, daily relationship with Christ. If we will look to Him to meet our deepest needs, we will be satisfied and be able to relate in a healthy way with our spouse and others. However, if we are not in relationship with Jesus in a meaningful way, we will naturally transfer to our spouse the expectation of meeting our needs. The result is that we are set up for disappointment and our spouse is set up for failure.

The best thing you can do for your marriage is to cultivate your relationship with the Lord. Spend time with the Lord every day—praying, reading your Bible, and asking for God’s help in everyday decisions in your life. Also take time regularly to pray together over important issues. Practicing
these simple principles will go a long way in building a solid foundation for your marriage.

Talk It Out | Share with each other about the time you chose to begin a personal relationship with Christ. Talk about what that relationship means to you today.

Walk It Out | Designate a time this week to spend a few minutes praying together about issues you are facing as a couple. End by praying a special blessing over each other.

from One: A Marriage Devotional by Jimmy Evans

‘So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”’ Genesis 1:27-28(NLT)

‘Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.’ Genesis 1:31(NLT)

God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them. (Genesis 1:27-28)

If you could ask God to do anything for you—what would it be? It’s my hope that one of the first things you would think to ask Him to do would be to bless your marriage. After all, in God’s heart, marriage is a priority. We know that because of this passage from the Book of Genesis.

Here we find that God created man and woman, and then He immediately established marriage. Marriage was God’s idea, and He blessed Adam and Eve’s. Verse 31 tells us: “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” Adam and Eve’s marriage was very good as a result of God’s blessing—they had the perfect marriage!

The word blessed in this passage of scripture means “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fertility and longevity.” When God blessed them, His Spirit came upon Adam and Eve and empowered them to succeed in every area. God was an active participant in their lives. As long as they followed His will for their marriage, they experienced great blessing. Their marriage was very good!

However when Adam and Eve rejected God’s involvement and made decisions solo, they moved out from under His blessing and experienced the curse instead. The same thing happens in marriages today—some marriages are wonderfully blessed while others are miserable. This isn’t because God has favorites. It’s due to the fact that some couples are following God’s will, while others aren’t. Really, it’s a choice.

When you yield your life and marriage to God’s will, you can expect Him to bless it. That’s also when you begin to experience a little bit of heaven on earth!

Talk It Out | Spend a few minutes identifying the areas of your marriage in which you are experiencing God’s blessing. Are there other areas that might be lacking in blessing because you haven’t asked or God’s involvement or sought His will in the decisions you’ve made? These areas might include finances, communication, your friendships, sensitivity to each other’s needs, etc.

Take a few minutes to pray together and recommit every area of your marriage to God.

Walk It Out | Make a special gesture to your spouse this week that tells what a blessing he or she is in your life.

from One: A Marriage Devotional by Jimmy Evans