It's "Marriage Prayer Friday!"

Please join us in praying for your own marriage or standing in the gap for a friend. Many marriages are hanging by threads but there is hope because of the cross! Thank you for seeking the Lord for the protection and fruitfulness of this sacred union.

A prayer for your own marriage—

RISEN LORD, it is only because of Your death and resurrection that I can trust You to refresh, renew, restore and heal the broken things in my marriage. I confess that sometimes my hope is small. Yet, because of You, I can expect to have a thriving relationship with my husband/wife. Thank You, Jesus, for connections I have with my husband/wife that are uniquely ours. Help me to recognize more of those precious things about our relationship and then show my gratitude more. Lord Jesus, sometimes I need to be reminded that You plan to prosper us as a couple. I get discouraged or complacent thinking that how it is right now is as good as it will ever be. Still, I yearn for more. I forget that You are always at work in the unseen and with a love for me and my husband/wife that always accomplishes more than anything we could ask for or imagine. Help me to trust You more so that I am ready for valuable things to be accomplished through my marriage. Help me to experience You more deeply so that I don't put expectations on my spouse that I need to put on You instead. Help me to fill up on my relationship with You so that the fruits of Your Spirit in me spill out into my marriage. You can do this, Lord! I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN

Something to pray for a friend's marriage—

RISEN LORD, it is only because of Your death and resurrection that I can trust You to refresh, renew, restore and heal the brokenness in my friends' marriages. Because of You, my friends can expect to have thriving relationships as couples. Thank You, Jesus, for connections each couple has that are uniquely theirs. Help them to recognize more of those precious things about their relationship and show gratitude to each other. Lord Jesus, please remind them that You plan to prosper them as a couple. When they get discouraged or yearn for something more in their marriages, help me to be one of many friends who point them to You and the cross. Thank You for being at work in the unseen and with a love that always accomplishes more than they ask or imagine. Please make them ready for valuable things to be accomplished through their marriages. Help each of them to experience You more deeply so that the fruits of Your Spirit in them spills out into their marriages. You can do this, Lord! I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN

What’s the Back Story? (Walking Partners Series Continued)

Sometimes we hear a story that initially sounds unremarkable. But then we hear what is behind the story and it gives insight that changes our appreciation for what we first heard. A reflective reading about a paralyzed man in scripture once brought about a change in perspective like that for our family. For Larry and I, it was the birth of our thinking about who our Walking Partners are and what they mean to us.

In short form, here’s the Bible’s recount of what happened to the paralyzed man:

Some men came, bringing to (Jesus) a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” MARK 2:3-5

What Larry and I used to remember most about this situation is that the man was physically healed (recorded later in verse 12) while Jesus claimed and proved to be God by also forgiving him. The central message of the story seemed clear, but we discovered there is so much more to be learned from this man’s experience. Reflecting on the back story deepened our faith and opened our eyes to a better way to live.

Consider this: a man’s life was forever transformed (inside and out) because there were friends who brought him to Jesus. His friends didn’t stop short at simply meeting his practical needs. They tore through somebody’s roof to get their friend in front of Jesus where more, so much more, was accomplished. Not only was the paralyzed man healed, he was saved from his sins and would spend eternity with God. To top it all off, many others witnessed it and glorified God.

I often wonder: Did this man ask his friends to take him to Jesus or did they initiate the journey with an offer to come pick him up after lunch? Did the man go willingly or did his friends have to urge him, prod him or just take up the corners of his mat saying, “You may not like it, but we’re going and you can’t do thing one about it!”

I’m glad I don’t know those details of this situation because it leaves all the options open. I’m stretched to consider many ways of walking in friendship that can be eternally meaningful — things like being willing to ask for help, initiating support even when it may not be welcomed, sacrificially giving my time, enthusiastically and tenaciously sharing my faith.

In the mid 1990s, Larry and I went through a storm in our marriage. Our small group of Bible Study friends and two Christian temperament counselors were instrumental in walking us back to a strong relationship with each other and into much deeper intimacy with our Savior Jesus Christ.

A few years later, after Carly was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome in 2000, we had friends who helped us in several practical ways (probably not unlike the friends of the paralyzed man who helped meet many of his daily needs in addition to carrying his mat from time to time). But even more valuable than supporting practical needs, we had friends who came alongside of us in grief and confusion with prayer and Christ-centered encouragement. They helped us gain insight into what God’s purposes might be in our challenges. They took us to the feet of Jesus where the deepest longings of our hearts could be fully satisfied and things of eternal value could be birthed out of our suffering.

For all the support we have received, sometimes people have let us down too. We have been disappointed many times over the years when even close friends or family seemed to forget us. But even then, there were others who helped bring our focus back where it belonged — on our infinitely perfect Heavenly Father rather than on imperfect people who will always fall short. If the world could meet all of our needs, we would forget how desperately we need God. The best Walking Partners compassionately remind us of that.

LORD, I realize there is too much at stake to miss any opportunity to build friendships like this into my life. Help me to be strategic in developing Christ-centered friendships. Show me how to give and receive the kind of friendship that bears fruit of eternal value. AMEN

It's "Marriage Prayer Friday!"

We pray weekly here for marriages to be refreshed, renewed, healed, restored and thriving. Being that today is also Good Friday, we are focusing on the crosses we bear in marriage.

A prayer for your own marriage—

HOLY GOD, I am gripped on this Good Friday by the profound reality of who You are and the deep things I can learn from what happened at the cross. When I slow down to reflect on the enormity of the burden you bore for me and the infinite love you extend to me, I am compelled to better reflect that kind of love to my spouse. Show me how to express love towards my husband/wife the way Christ did for the Church. Help me to more gracefully receive my spouses’ imperfect but heartfelt expressions of love toward me. As our family celebrates Easter this weekend, show me how I can lighten a burden for my husband/wife the way Simon shared the load of Christ’s cross when it got too heavy to carry alone. Thank You, Jesus, for the hope and power of Easter! Please bring that same holy intervention into the “crosses” my family is bearing today. Help me never to forget that there is power in the blood! AMEN

Something to pray for a friend's marriage—

HOLY GOD, I am gripped on this Good Friday by the profound reality of who You are and the deep things I can learn from what happened at the cross. As I reflect on the enormity of the burden you bore and the infinite love you extend to me, I am compelled to share that with others I love. Specifically, I want to pray right now for the married couples I know. Many of them are struggling with burdens and are still learning how to love each other well. Show them how to express love towards each other the way You did for Your Church. Help them to more gracefully receive each other's imperfect but heartfelt expressions of love. As my friends celebrate Easter this weekend, show them how they can lighten a burden for each other the way Simon shared the load of Christ’s cross when it got too heavy to carry alone. Thank You, Jesus, for the hope and power of Easter! Please bring that same holy intervention into the “crosses” my friends are bearing today. Help them never to forget that there is power in the blood! AMEN