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#123: Getting The Feeling Back
He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20) For many years in our marriage we go through the right motions. We greet each other with hugs and verbalize our love. We regularly go on dinner dates, and each of us do special little things for the other.…
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#122: Selflessly Compassionate
Therefore, as the elect of God… put on tender mercies. (Colossians 3:12) Hurts, irritations, unmet needs – life is full of them. How ironic it is that marriage often magnifies these things. For example, we might quickly forget a passing critical comment from a coworker, but we remember the same comment for days – or…
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#119: Practicalities Of Respect
Let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. (Philippians 2:3) One general guideline of respect is that before you make a commitment that impacts another person’s life, you take take the time to discuss it with that person. It is important to discuss business commitments, trips, house guests, and major financial…
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#112: Promoting Growth And Development
Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. (Romans 14:19) Edification means showing your excitement at being with your spouse, and it means affirming the growth you’ve seen in his or her life. It means removing any words of criticism or judgement and replacing them…
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#111: Grace Liberates Us To Give
Do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13) In the beginning of our marriage, we fight over the most bizarre issues – like he always procrastinates things, she speaks the truth but not with love, he is not organised at doing chores, she is…
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#109: Show Hospitality To “Your” Saint
Be hospitable to one another. (1 Peter 4:9) Many times in our marriage we come to a stage of taking each other for granted. Neither of us focus on the positive things about the other. So our home atmosphere turns into one of distance and boredom, particularly when children leave home for studies, careers or…
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#107: Patient Endurance of Another’s Humanness
Walk… with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)Tolerance relates to putting up with another person’s obvious humanness and bearing with his or her imperfections. To express tolerance demands setting aside a self-centred focus and adopting instead a God-centered perspective. God sees each of us as very different,…
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#105: A Commitment To Doing Good For Another
Love one another, even as I have loved you. (John 13:34)The word love is overly used and often misused in our language. We can hear the word love used in connection with biryani, cricket, sex etc. But God’s intention for a loving marriage is something sacred and precious. True love is an unconditional commitment to…
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#98: Protection From Drifting Apart
Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:14 NASB) Couples sometimes drift apart after several years of marriage. We like to suggest a few ways couples can preserve the gift of love God has given them. First, we encourage couples to verbalize –…
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#94: Honoring Your Spouse’s Strengths
Let marriage be held in honour. (Hebrews 13:4, NASB) Over the years we’ve come to appreciate each other’s character qualities – those strengths within each other that bless each other – for example, very supportive and loyal, convictingly diligent about getting tasks completed, discerning and insightful, truthful and hospitable. Those are just a few of…
