It had been two months since Susan and Mark’s wedding. One day Mark found himself alone with Susan’s mom.
“Mark, I’m curious. Do you ever pray for Susan?”
“Sure I do. We pray together every night before bed.”
“Excellent. But when you’re alone, do you ever pray for Susan?”
“Well, yes. Usually while I’m driving to work I’ll pray for her.”
“What exactly do you pray for?”
“Let’s see…I pray for her safety while she drives to work. I pray for her health and for her to have a good day teaching.”
“I’m glad to hear this, Mark. But I’m curious: Do you ever pray for her spiritual growth?”
“Well, no. Quite honestly I don’t. Why do you ask?”
“We raised Susan to be a young woman who knows and loves the Lord Jesus. Her spiritual growth is no longer our responsibility. Now it’s yours. Someday you will want to present her to God and be able to say, ‘Here is the wife You gave me. I have loved her and nurtured her in Your Word. I have prayed for her, that she would not sin and that her love for Christ would always be strong.”
Mark listened and said, “Thank you for your counsel on this. I will take it to heart.”
- Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:25-28
- But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3
- SONG: MY FRIEND – Lyrics by D.J. Higgins; Music by Kathleen
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[This life is temporary. This life is short. When this life is over, our bodies will die and become empty shells, but our souls will continue to live forever. Where will the “real you” live? Will you live for all eternity separated from God? Or will you spend eternity in the presence of God in heaven? Learn more so you can make your most important decision: http://www.godlife.com/gospel/ and http://www.godlife.com/en/about-christianity
[To leave a comment or prayer request, simply click on the TITLE of this post and scroll to the bottom.]
Oh! That all husbands would love their wives this way, and wives respect their husbands. Each are such a gift.
God’s plan for marriage is indeed a gift! But even better if the husband and wife who love God above all else. Thank you Liana!
Amen Sister!
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the First and great Commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Kristi
Thank you Kristi for this most important truth!