READY
“And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” —Ecclesiastes 3:12
SET
When we were married in 1981, we chose Ecclesiastes 4:12 as our theme verse for the ceremony. The latter part reads, “…A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” To give you a visual, imagine holding two strands of cord, one in each hand. One strand represents the man and the other the woman. On their wedding day, a couple ties the knot and begins to weave their lives together. Life is going great, until suddenly there is a crisis. It may be a loss of a job, an illness, dealing with a difficult child, or another tragic event that puts stress on the marriage. When the cord of the marriage only consists of two strands, it can easily unravel. Go back to holding the strands, but this time, when the man and woman tie the knot, a third strand representing God is among them. As they weave their lives together, they do so in a braided fashion creating a much stronger cord of three strands. When that crisis hits, their marriage is less likely to unravel because God is at the center of their marriage.
Is God at the center of your marriage? Spend time praying together as a couple. Ask God to protect your relationship keeping it strong and healthy. Pray about your family goals, your profession, your children. Praise Him together and thank Him for the daily blessings He has bestowed upon you.
Read the Bible together. You could read a chapter of one of the Gospels following dinner or prior to going to bed. There are well written devotionals that you can enjoy together. Try to find one that includes Scripture that relates to the devotion.
Finally, attend church together. Find a church that you both enjoy, that meets most of your needs, that teaches the Word of God and will help you to grow spiritually, and one that gives you the opportunity to use your gifts to serve the Lord. At some point following the service, share with each other your thoughts regarding the pastor’s message and what it meant to you.
Practicing these three spiritual disciplines together – praying, reading God’s Word, church attendance - will help you keep God at the center of your marriage.
GO
Do you think it is important for you to pray together? Explain. If so, make a plan for the best time for you to pray together daily.
What book of the Bible or devotional do you believe would be good to read together? Make a plan for reading and discussing together.
Is your church helping you grow spiritually? Is it giving you the opportunity to use your gifts to serve the Lord?
WORKOUT
OVERTIME
“Lord, we pray that our marriage would be strengthen – like a cord of three strands. As we pray together, read Your Word together and attend church together grow us as a couple. In the name of Jesus, amen.