Before we cantalk of keeping love ablaze, we have to talk of couples living true to their covenant responsibilities.
First, we should know that our marriages have certain mandate in the heart of God to fulfill.
And here’s a second offense: You fill the place of worship with your whining and sniveling because you don’t get what you want from God. Do you know why? Simple. Because God was there as a witness when you spoke your marriage vows to your young bride, and now you’ve broken those vows, broken the faith-bond with your vowed companion, your covenant wife. God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that’s what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don’t cheat on your spouse. Malachi 2:13 – 15 MSG
Let’s see how the scripture goes in the Amplified version.
Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows]. Malachi 2:14 AMPC
So God takes our marriage vows seriously.
Our marriage vows is not just some cute words spoken on our wedding day, it is a promise before God and then to our spouse.
It is this understanding that will help us to see the reason why love must be kept ablaze.
It is a life long work. We have to keep at it at good times and not so good times.
A man of God said, and I quote, “In Covenant of marriage, get it right. Marriage is one area of vulnerability in the Covenant. Don’t allow the arrow of the enemy to pierce you there. Get it right. If the arrow of the enemy pierces you in marriage, you will be struggling to sustain the Covenant”.
If we don’t understand the covenant of marriage, the devil will cause alot of struggles for us in life. Love is not the only ingredient needed in marriage. It’s like cooking a meal. You need a combination of many ingredients in the right proportions, to make a good meal and the skills of the person cooking.
Let’s take a look at what love is from Gods view point
Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. 1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7 AMP
We need to remind ourselves often that we are called to love one another for God is love. We are born of God so we have Gods nature in us. We just have to be conscious of it and walk in it. We have to respond to the nature of God that we carry.
Our aim should be to love. The bible says we should love our enemies how much more our spouses. We are to consciously and intentionally love our spouse.
This is what we have been called to.
May God help us in Jesus name.
God bless our marriage
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage will work in Jesus name.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help us to do things that will draw us closer to each other.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows]. Malachi 2:14 AMPC
Have you seen couples married for over 15 years? One thing that strikes you is that they begin to look alike. There’s just something that makes them closer and begins to look alike. Well, it’s not a fast and hard rule that couples who have been together for years should look alike.
I guess that is the reason why the bible says, the two shall become one flesh. I guess they truly become one flesh in the real sense of the word. The truth is that, if you want to remain close and knitted together, there are some things you should be doing on a regular basis. It keeps you together.
I would try and mention 10 of those things. You can add up to this list but just make sure in your own relationship you have found what it is that draws you closer to each other.
1. Eat together on one plate or on the dinner table. This may not be suitable for every couple. Some may not like it, but this has helped keep couples together.
2. Go to church together in the same car. It may be a time of bonding for couples who may have been busy throughout the week and have more than 1 car.
3. Go to the same church and have the same pastor and mentor. They hear and drink from the same spiritual source and hear the same instructions about fasting, giving which normally could cause discord in marriage.
4. Have same friends, go to the same functions and ceremonies together. Couples stay closer when they unwind together by having the same friends and attend parties together.
5. They sleep in the same room on the same bed. Couples are known to look alike the more they sleep together and share the same room.
6. They have regular intercourse together. This is known to bind them together and is the real thing that makes them get closer and look alike.
7. They Laugh, dance, sing and play games together. The more couples recreate together, the more the bond between them gets stronger.
8. They overcome their challenges together. When couples face problems and pass through challenging situations together, it draws them closer to each other.
9. When couples bathe together. It is a form of being naked and not ashamed, it draws couples together.
10. Study their bibles together and pray together. When couples do spiritual activities together they tend to grow fond of each other and grow to look alike.
It is like the triangle of marriage. God is at the tip or top, husband and wife are at the two sides. The more they go after God, the closer they become. The more they draw away from God, the more they grow apart.
Make God or godly principles your priority and you will grow closer as a couple.
God bless your marriage
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY As couples, we grow closer as the day goes by.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help us to do things that will draw us closer to each other.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Gen 2:25 ‘And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.”
Its possible to enjoy your marriage. In marriage, there are pressures. Pressures of raising a family, of taking care of your spouse, of taking care of the children, of paying bills, and many more. All these are coupled with pressures from work and career. If one is not careful, marriage will be one strenuous, stressful and tiring adventure.
It is deliberately then, that you have to decide to live life to the fullest. You just have to make up your mind that in the midst of all the pressures, there will be pleasures. It is a decision to remain joyful irrespective of whatever situation you might be going through. You simply make up your mind to defuse pressures with laughter, for laughter doeth well like medicine
Pro 17:22 (MSG) A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
Having a depressing disposition, unhappy tendencies, habitual despondency, uncontrollably bad moods are enough to leave the bones tired.
Since you have to cook anyway, why not decide to cook while enjoying yourself
Since you are going to wash the car, decide to wash while having a nice time.
Since the kids would always be around and going nowhere, enjoy yourselves and let them enjoy themselves too.
Doing things grumbling, complaining, and being unhappy in marriage is self-punishment. Decide to enjoy yourselves as a couple. Satisfy each other right into the bedroom!
I pray for your marriage, God will help you indeed in Jesus name. At every point of pressure, God will bring succor, His healing balm, and restore you in Jesus name.
Your marriage is blessed!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I choose to enjoy my marriage
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, take away every foolishness from our home
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Php 1:9 (KJV)And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
What do you do when things seem tough? There are times when everything just seems okay. Life is just good. You look at your bank account and smile. There are cars in the garage. The children are doing well, nice school. Your spouse is just so nice. The money keeps rolling into your account. No stress.
During weekends you have all the time with your family. During holidays, you and the family get to travel out of the country.
Your wife comes home on time, prepares a good meal. Your house is really yours and it is fine. It has all things set. The generator, fridge, freezer, microwave oven, dishwasher, washing machine, everything is set.
You look around and you are so grateful and fulfilled, not asking for anything. This looks like that perfect life everybody prays for. Everything is just working right. You have no prayer points except that God should bless your friends and neighbors.
Well, many of us are not there yet. In fact, many are still far from there. Many are at the stage where they are trusting God, praying to God for one thing or another, where they don’t have it all together. In fact, they are at the opposite of life is good.
At such times, one has to hold on, be patient, Be thankful and grateful, keep at what you know works, and give God praise. Be a God praiser. Of all the things that would have made you complain, praise God instead.
Turn it into a praise report. Let your voice be loud and clear in praises. It is when joy withers that prosperity and testimony withers.
When as a married couple, your home seems like nothing is happening. It’s time to turn on the volume of your praise and thanksgiving.
Jesus got to the tomb of Lazarus, he was met with an impossible situation. He gave thanks and rejoiced. In the feeding of the 4,000 where he only had a lad’s supper, he gave thanks.
When the going gets rough, it’s time to get to thanks and praise. You have enough to complain about. Things are not working but give thanks. When you give thanks, things will begin to open up and yield their abundance.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I give thanks, no matter what happens.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, let me see that despite every thing you can work a miracle of provision
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Php 4:19 (KJV) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Be thankful. Be praise-ful
Life is a question of power. The moment power is drained and strength is dissipated, life will ooze out slowly and death will set in.
Wealth and riches are a question of power. Poverty is an expression of weakness and lack of strength in finances.
Strength! It determines a lot.
Marriage requires strength. A successful relationship that will translate into a great courtship and eventually a blissful marriage requires strength all the way. When a person lacks strength, all kinds of stuff will happen to the weak emotions. The emotions are as vulnerable to the degree that the soul is weak.
I love the scripture below:
Eph 3:16 (KJV) That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
If there is anything you should pray for today, it is strength in your inner man. Strength to navigate the meanders of the marital road and be able to avoid emotional mirages that appear as you journey on that road. All of us will ply that road at one time or the other.
Getting a spouse, getting married, having a glorious wedding, and then a great marriage all require strength. Walking down the aisle is no less a task, there is strength needed every step of the way to avoid distractions that scream at you.
Strength to be a husband! Strength for leadership! Strength to be a wife; to submit and respect! All these are no small feats. You are going to need strength.
God can grant you this strength. Ask for it. Pray for it. And when you have it, it will make all the difference!
I love the Passion Translation:
Eph 3:16 (TPT) And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power.
I pray for you this morning, may supernatural strength flood your innermost being in Jesus name!
Have a great day!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have supernatural strength as a person
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, increase my strength
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Eph 3:16 (CEV) God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers
