Wednesday, August 24, 2016

I want to return to the last point Peter makes in his instructions to husbands in 1st Peter 3:7, “so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Losing the ability to pray effectively is a significant unintended consequence of letting your marriage deteriorate through careless oversights and selfish demands. Restoring and maintaining the ability to pray effectively should be something we work at 24/7. Whatever a wife does to make herself beautiful outwardly and inwardly should not be to get greater affection and affirmation from her husband. It should be to encourage her husband to seek a closer relationship with her Lord. And when a husband shows consideration and respect toward his wife in their daily interaction, it should not be to get something out of their relationship to satisfy his own desires or passions. It should be done so that she will be able to enjoy her partnership as an equal heir of the gracious gift of life. When both husband and wife relate to each other in such a selfless, self-giving way God will bless them beyond what they might have tried extracting from their spouse. And beyond that, it will open the door to their experiencing and enjoying the promise that “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21). Now that’s reaping the overflowing benefits of having a healthy marriage.