It's Marriage Prayer Friday!

I watched the movie Fireproof again this week.  Larry I cuddled up with popcorn and I asked him to grab me some tissues (at least once).  Watching that film moves us to pray more fervently than ever for marriages that are struggling.  We know far too many people facing very dark days.  Having survived our own marriage storm, we deeply appreciate the message of what it takes to make a marriage fireproof.  To us, that movie underscores three critical things needed in marriages facing a storm:

• At least one partner committed to loving unconditionally through a life surrendered to the power of the Holy Spirit.
• God’s perspective that marriage is a covenant relationships, not a contract.
• At least one Christ-loving friend to come courageously alongside the couple with encouragement, sound Biblical guidance and persevering prayer.

Please join us in asking the Lord for these things in your marriage and for others today.

A prayer for your own marriage—

ALMIGHTY GOD, thank you for creating marriage with the potential to display the kind of covenant love you have for us.  Please keep me and my spouse from taking our commitment lightly in any way.  Protect us from considering our relationship disposable.  Reassure us that, by Your power, anything that is broken can be fixed.  Help me to so intimately and humbly appreciate my salvation from sins that I overflow that kind of profound grace toward my spouse.  Lord, we need your help and we need the help of Christ-loving friends.  Please bring others alongside of us as a couple and as individuals — we need people who will persevere with us through encouragement, Biblical guidance and prayer.  Give us ears to hear You through them and empower us to walk in Your ways.  Most Holy God, rain down Your power to protect, restore and refresh our marriage for Your glory, our good and the blessing of those whose lives we touch.  Thank you, precious Lord.  AMEN

Something to pray for a friend's marriage—

ALMIGHTY GOD, thank you for creating marriage with the potential to display the kind of covenant love you have for us.  Please keep my married friends from taking their commitment lightly in any way.  Protect them from considering their relationship disposable.  Reassure them that, by Your power, anything that is broken can be fixed.  Help them to so intimately and humbly appreciate their salvation from sins that each of them overflows with that kind of profound grace toward their spouse.  Lord, my friends need your help and they need the help of Christ-loving friends.  Please bring others alongside of them as a couple and as individuals — 

and make me one of those people who will persevere with my married friends with encouragement, Biblical guidance and prayer.  Teach me and equip me for the important role I may have in specific marriages to be an instrument of Your holy work.  Give my friends ears to hear You through godly counsel from others and empower them to walk in Your ways.  Most Holy God, rain down Your power to protect, restore and refresh these marriages on my heart today for Your glory, their good and the blessing of those whose lives they touch.  Thank you, precious Lord.  AMEN