No matter how old or young you are, at Genesis Church we want your marriage and relationships to flourish!
So there’s actually no better way to strengthen your relationships than to share a devotion together.
It doesn’t take too much!
Try one of the following devotions each week. Pick a time, around 1 hour, where you can read one paragraph each and then go over the ideas and questions. Then spend a little time praying together on the topic. You can even do it via zoom video if you are travelling or at work (lunch).
When you have completed all 31 devotionals you can start all over again! It will likely be fresh and relevant again.
Together Forever
“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” – Matthew 19:6
Marriage is a miracle of God taking two people and making them one. As husband and wife, you create a single household. You pursue mutual goals. You share in exclusive intimacy. You join paths for a lifetime, devoted to one another’s well-being. Nothing but death is meant to separate you.
Is anything or anyone coming between you today? Perhaps busy schedules are crowding out time to connect. Friends may criticize your spouse or make light of your commitment. Family members might compete for your loyalty. Job demands may steal energy and attention away from home. Your marriage might feel buried at the bottom of the pile, and you find yourselves drifting apart.
Find your way back to each other today. Take courageous steps to put your relationship first. Confess what you’ve allowed to divide you. Recommit to loving one another wholeheartedly. Talk and touch, and give your undivided attention. Remember why you love one another so very much.
PRAYER: Lord, we thank you for making us, “us.” Protect our marriage—don’t let anything tear us apart. Show us what it means to be one. Amen.
The Comfort of Quiet
Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. – Job 2:13
It’s hard to see your loved one hurting. You can’t heal their disease. You can’t erase the cruel words of rejection. You can’t provide a new job or opportunity. You can’t restore the person they lost. You can’t replace what’s been taken. You can’t explain why they’re suffering. You feel helpless in the face of their pain – you don’t know what to do.
Today, be still. Resist the urge to “fix it” or find someone to blame. Offer the gift of your presence. Clear your calendar so you can stay close. Be willing to listen as they process what’s happened. Comfort them through your touch and provide a shoulder to cry on.
Pray for God’s healing and help. Ask for insight to understand what your spouse is going through. Let him supply patience and compassion. Thank him for giving you each other so you’re not alone. Trust him to do what’s needed at the right time. Thank him for his grace that’s enough for today.
PRAYER: Lord, show us how to carry this burden together. Bring your comfort and help. Give us hope for all you’re going to do. Let us trust in your love. Amen.
Grace or a Grudge?
“When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” – Mark 11:25
Is there anything between you today? Perhaps you’re still hurting from words of the past. Frustration over a recent argument. Betrayal from a broken promise.
Disappointment from unmet hopes and expectations. Rejection as jobs, families, or friends compete for your spouse’s attention. You’re wounded by their lust, anger, or selfishness. You’re trying to be patient, but resentment is building each day.
Unforgiveness divides both your marriage and your relationship with God. You can’t ask for his mercy if you keep it from each other. Take your pain and frustration to God in prayer. Ask for compassion and understanding. Depend on him to make peace in your home. Trust him to help your spouse grow and change. Call on him for humility to see your own need for forgiveness.
Today, lay down what you’re holding against each other. Start again. Giving the grace you’ve received through Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to forgive each other today. Let us show the mercy you’ve shown to us. Give us a fresh start as we let go of the past. Amen.
Never Alone
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. – Isaiah 43:2
Are you drowning in grief today? Are you buried beneath waves of pressure and stress? Are people’s needs and expectations crushing you under their weight? Are you feeling the heat of threats to your good name? Is anger burning in a difficult relationship? In your most desperate hour, the Lord is with you.
Today, tell God your deepest fears. What feels overwhelming? Which situation seems hopeless? What have you lost that can never be replaced? Who are your enemies? What is too hard to possibly handle on your own?
Trust God’s promise to never let you go. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9). Don’t let the storms and fires today shake your faith in his love. He’s going to bring you safely home.
PRAYER: Lord, when we’re hurting and afraid, give us faith to believe you’re here. Give us hope and peace as we trust you through it all. Amen.
The Field of Faith
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unploughed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. – Hosea 10:12
Is your heart hardened today, unable to receive the “seeds” of truth? Has the Bible become dry and boring? Is it a chore to serve other people? Does God’s moral law seem hard and unreasonable? Is prayer just a formality? Would you rather please yourself than the Lord?
Pray and ask God to break up the soil of your heart. Be honest and confess any sin you’re holding on to. Read the Scriptures every day to remember what’s true. Pray for a thankful heart for all he’s poured into your life. Ask for deeper love – a willingness to lay yourselves down for God and the ones you’re called to serve.
God wants to transform your lives. He’ll make you holy and pure. You’ll be his shining lights in a dark world. You’ll receive the grace and love he’s promised to give. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
PRAYER: Lord, keep our hearts open and ready to receive your love. Make us righteous as we seek your face every day. Amen.
Live to Serve
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. – John 13:14-15
Jesus showed his love through his humility. As he bent down to wash away the filth of the streets from his friends’ feet, he set a perfect example for us to follow. His Word tests our hearts to see if we’re willing to serve like him.
Consider how you can “wash each other’s feet” today. Prepare your spouse a meal, charge their phone, run an errand, mow the lawn – relieve the burden of their to-do list with simple helps.
Be willing to clean up their mess. Pay the bill they forgot to mail. Throw in a load of their laundry. Fill up their gas tank and check the tires too. Pick up their prescription and a fresh box of tissues. Reschedule their cancelled meeting. Let them know you’re ready to catch them if they’re falling.
Choose three kind, humble acts of service you can give each other today. Follow the example of our Lord Jesus as you show your love. Let your marriage be filled with acts of caring and help.
PRAYER: Lord, teach us to serve each other with humility like Jesus. Let our love grow as we fill our home with kindness. Amen.
Loyalty Lost
“If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend.” – Psalm 55:12-13
Our marriage vows promise faithful love through any hardship the future might bring. We commit to weather the storms of life side by side. Yet when the source of pain is our spouse – not our circumstances – our commitment is tested the most.
The intimacy of marriage leaves us more vulnerable than any other relationship. Our partner knows our deepest fears and greatest dreams for the future. They have the power to inflict great harm through angry words and selfish actions.
These wounds are difficult to heal and forgive. Our trust and security can be shaken to the core.
Have courage today to bring your hurt into the light. Give your spouse freedom to share their pain. Confess any sin and seek forgiveness. Do whatever is necessary to restore truth, hope, and peace to your relationship.
In Christ, all things can be made new. As you receive his help and forgiveness, let him fill you with strength and love.
PRAYER: Lord, you know how we’ve hurt each other’s hearts. Set our marriage free from pain and sin. Give us your grace today. Amen.
Love for a Lifetime
“Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.” – Song of Songs 8:7
Your marriage is under attack every day. Schedules and stress crowd out quality time. Exhaustion takes over intimacy. Friends, kids, and relatives compete for your attention. Conflict breaks trust and steals your peace. The world’s culture battles your commitment to purity and faithfulness. So many weddings are followed by divorce – you wonder if your love will survive.
God gives hope that authentic love can survive any storm. Praise him today for the strength to keep your marriage vows. Thank him for his rescue from struggles that could have torn you apart. Remember those who gave a word of encouragement when you needed it most. The source of your love has the power to keep you together.
Identify any threats to your marriage today. Take steps to be close and connect- ed. Make a plan of defines to protect you from harm: prayer, godly counsel, and putting each other first. Remember why you fell in love in the first place. Dream about your future side by side.
PRAYER: Lord, keep our marriage strong and full of love. Show us how to grow as one. Let us abide in you so your goodness can fill our relationship. Amen.
Never Alone
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing.” – Psalm 68:5-6
Not everyone holds memories of a happy childhood. A husband bears scars from abuse. A wife knows the sting of rejection and the shame of her parents’ sin. It’s hard to trust again after you’re failed by those who should love you the most.
The Lord knows every wound and stands for you today. He offers himself as the perfect, loving Father you never had. He promises justice for every sin against your innocence. He sets you free from the fears and lies of the past. He provides the gift of your marriage – a safe, lifelong haven where constant love can be found.
Thank God for each other in prayer today. Praise him for making you a family, safely kept under his wing. Remember your beautiful vows to love, cherish, and remain faithful for life. Leave the past behind and look forward to the future you’re building together.
No matter the regret of what should have been, today is a day to celebrate. You have the eternal love of God himself and a partner by your side.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for rescuing us from loneliness and pain. You’ve set us free and given us love. We praise you for making us a family. Amen.
One Mind, One Purpose
“Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD.” – 2 Chronicles 30:12
God has a calling on your lives, to obey him together in everything. Today, what is God telling you to do? How much are you to give? Who is he asking you to help? How are you called to teach, comfort, and serve? What sins need confessing?
Where are you sent to share his gospel? How is he leading you into grace, kind- ness, and love? To follow God’s Word to the fullest, you need the same heart and mind to obey.
Pray and ask God to help you know his will. Surrender your lives to his control. Ask for his Spirit to help you think as one. Set aside your pride, fear, and doubt. Seek wisdom from the Word. Depend on God for strength to do whatever he asks.
Jesus knew how much we would need each other. He prayed before returning to the Father, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). Live in unity and joy as you follow him.
PRAYER: Lord, we want to do your will together. Make us like-minded and ready to do all you ask. Amen.
Think Before You Speak
“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. ” – Proverbs 17:28
Your silence can bless your partner as much as your words. Holding back a sarcastic remark or critical comment protects your loved one from pain. Silencing excuses and lies builds trust. Refusing to nag or complain communicates respect. Restraining harsh accusations gives a chance to hear their side of the story. Energy spent on listening—rather than constant talking—allows true under- standing to grow.
Think through your recent conversations. Which words created tension and conflict? What made your spouse feel rejected or unimportant? How did you attempt to manipulate each other to get what you wanted? When were you driven to have the last word at any cost?
Today, choose to be still. Give your undivided attention to hear what your spouse has to say. Breathe deeply and pray when you’re tempted to lash out. Quietly honour each other’s opinions and ideas. Smile, make eye contact, and show affection so your love is conveyed without a word.
PRAYER: Lord, teach us to listen to you and each other. Give us wisdom to use our words with love and care. Heal our relationship from the wounds of damaging speech. Amen.
The Gift of Wisdom
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:5
As you walk the path of life together, you’ll encounter dead ends that stop you in your tracks. Crossroads will bring confusion about which way to go. You’ll grow tired and frustrated when progress feels slow. You won’t know if you should keep going, turn around, or stop walking altogether.
To the Lord, there is no such thing as a foolish question. You can ask him for wisdom about any step to take. When your thoughts are clouded by doubt or discouragement, he gives clarity and renews your purpose. He’s ready and willing to provide discernment in every situation.
Which decisions are before you today? What problem or conflict seems impossible to solve? How are you struggling to keep your priorities in order? Should you play it safe or take a leap into the unknown? Seek the Lord in everything and allow him to guide your way.
PRAYER: Lord, we need your help to know what to do. Thank you for your generous promise to give us your wisdom. Help us to trust you as we follow your leading. Amen.
Keep Up the Fight
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12
The devil is determined to ruin your marriage. He knows a godly husband and wife portray Christ’s love for the church. He’s aware that when “two or more are gathered” in prayer, God is with them. He can see the encouragement and strength found in your family. He’ll do whatever he can to destroy what God has joined together.
Resist him by putting on the armour of God. Fill your minds with the Word so you can recognize his lies. He’ll whisper that divorce is the answer. That your spouse doesn’t really love you. That a sexual experience outside of marriage won’t hurt anyone. That God cares more about your happiness than your wedding vows.
Hold tightly to your salvation and faith in God’s forgiveness. When the enemy works to divide or harden your hearts, show grace instead. When he tempts you to sin, live in obedience by the power of the Spirit. Show kindness and integrity to your partner at all times.
You have all you need to stand firm in God today. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
PRAYER: Lord, give us strength to stand firm when the enemy attacks our marriage. Protect us from his schemes that would tear us apart. Amen.
The Eyes of Love
You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. – Songs of Songs 4:7
They say that love is blind. But true love isn’t blind, it’s full of grace. It focuses on your loved one’s strengths. It assumes the best and holds hope for the future. It offers forgiveness after failure. It trusts that God is working. It cherishes and admires. It loves like Jesus loves you.
Name the ways you appreciate each other today. Describe the unique qualities you admire. Talk about how God has especially designed you for each other.
Share what you find appealing and attractive. Dream about how you’ll enjoy each other for life.
Give the gift of mercy today. Let go of past regrets, failures, and negative expectations. Silence any criticism or complaining. Show the same patience and kind- ness you’ve received yourselves.
Remember the “wide and long and high and deep” love of Christ, and let it over- flow into the love between you. Pray and thank God for bringing you together.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for creating our marriage. Let us love each other as you love us—with grace and joy every day. Amen.
Truth and Trust
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” – Colossians 3:9-10
A strong marriage is built on honesty and openness. Trust is broken by secrets and broken promises. Respect is earned through truth-telling and keeping your word. If you can fully trust and believe in your spouse, intimacy and happiness will flourish.
How would you measure the trust in your marriage today? Have little white lies and excuses crept into your conversation? Does your spouse have confidence in your spending habits and sexual purity? Do you protect each other’s privacy and reputation? Do you second-guess one another’s account of where you’ve been and what you’re up to? Identify any areas where integrity is breaking down.
Ask God for courage to give up your secrets. Ask him to grace to forgive each other’s mistakes. Follow through with keeping your promises—it’s never too late to do the right thing. Renew your commitment to fully share your lives with one another. Stand firm against temptation to lie or avoid the truth. Praise God for your new life in Christ!
PRAYER: Lord, set us free from the trap of lies, secrets, and broken promises. Make us like Jesus as we live in your truth. Amen.
Pray in Every Way, Every Day
“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lords’ people.” – Ephesians 6:18
The greatest gift you can give your loved one is faithful prayer. As the one who knows your spouse’s deepest struggles, fears, and temptations, you’re able to pray for every facet of their life.
Pray diligently for your partner’s walk with God. Ask for the Word to renew their mind and give them wisdom. Call out to God for victory over sin and doubt. Let him direct you in serving him together.
Ask for God’s blessing on their work each day. Look to him for strength and endurance. Trust him to provide opportunity and prosper one another’s talents.
Seek God to know how to encourage and comfort your spouse. Ask for eyes to see and understand their troubles. Pray for patience and compassion when they fail. Look to him to fill you with his grace in every situation.
Prayer invites the power of God into the life of your spouse and your marriage. Trust him to do more than you could ask or imagine!
PRAYER: Lord, help us to pray continually for one another. Let us love each other well by bringing our needs and praises to you. Amen.
Keeping Score
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.” – Luke 6:32-33
We can fall into the vicious cycle of waiting to feel loved before giving love to our spouse. We hold back gifts of time, attention, help, and affirmation until our partner has earned them. We use sexual intimacy as a “reward” for making us happy. We sign an unwritten contract that says, “I’ll do good things for you if you do good things for me.”
This is the opposite of how Jesus loves you. He died for us while we were still sinners. He served and healed the ones who later demanded his crucifixion. He loved the unlovely. He served the selfish. He taught the unteachable. He gave everything for the least deserving.
Ask God for his kind of unconditional love today. Take every opportunity to build each other up. Consider how your choices are helping or hurting your partner. Be willing to give up your plans and preferences out of love for one another Take the initiative to do good and love in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER: Lord, it takes courage and strength to give when we might not receive anything in return. Make us like Jesus so we can love without holding back. Amen.
Unashamed
“Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” – Genesis 2:25
It’s hard to imagine a world free from shame and embarrassment. We cringe at the reflection in the mirror as we see our physical flaws. Regrets and failures stain our memories and steal our confidence. It seems impossible to be fully “real” in our marriage—we’re sure if our partner could see our true self, they’d push us away.
In Christ, we’re fully known, accepted, and loved. We don’t have to work for God’s favour. We don’t have to buy his affection. That same grace sets us free from shame in our marriage. We can forgive as Christ has forgiven us. We can “always hope, always protect, and always trust” in each other as God persistently works in our hearts and lives. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
Which part of yourself are you holding back from your loved one today? Which insecurities are keeping you from oneness and intimacy? How can you show greater acceptance and patience, honesty, and love? Let Gods’ grace set you free from shame and draw you closer together.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your perfect mercy and love. Teach us to show grace to each other. Tear down the walls that are keeping us from truth and oneness in our marriage. Amen.
Fellowship in Christ
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” – 1 John 1:3-4
Marriage holds the potential for beautiful intimacy, companionship, and a life of shared memories and purpose. In Christ we have the promise of even more—a deeper fellowship with God and each other through the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes your Christian life can feel too personal to share with anyone else. But your faith was designed to be lived as part of a larger whole—the church. Allowing your partner into the deeper places of your heart will bind you together. You’ll help each other to know Christ more than ever before.
How are you sharing your spiritual lives today? Join together in prayer to experience God’s answers as a couple. Keep each other up to date on what you learn from the Word. Share a favourite worship song you hear on the radio or at church. Ask each other for insight into challenging questions about faith or the Bible.
Celebrate together when you see God’s healing or salvation in the lives of others. Let your closeness with the Lord create a deeper connection between you as well.
PRAYER: Lord, may our fellowship with each other lead to a closer walk with you. Amen.
The School of Love
“Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:9
You want to love each other but you don’t know how. Perhaps your parents were cold and distant all your life. Maybe they gave up on marriage and walked away. Your friends are constantly angry and disappointed by their partners. Couples who seemed strong are breaking their vows, one after the other. No book or psychologist holds all the answers. You feel lost and alone as you try to figure it out.
Be encouraged, because you have the Spirit as your marriage counsellor. The One who loves perfectly offers all you need to love each other.
The Word tells exactly what to do: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
God paints the picture of what love is, and gives power through the Spirit to do it. Learn from him and let him make your marriage beautiful.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for teaching us how to love each other. Bind us together by your Spirit. Amen.
Open Heart, Open Home
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” – Hebrews 13:2
Hospitality is defined as showing generosity and making others feel welcome. It’s part of God’s plan for you to “love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mark 12:31) In sharing your blessings, attention, and personal space, you make God’s love tangible to everyone.
Reach out to create a new relationship today. Share a meal, meet a need, and open your home. Consider who’s lonely around you, and extend the gift of friend- ship. Invite others into conversation as you go about your day—take every opportunity to listen to their troubles and build them up.
Ask God for courage to lower your defences and invite people into your life. Let him take you outside your comfortable circle to interact with people from all walks of life. Pray for a generous attitude that’s eager to share. Build margin in your busy schedule to leave room for people. Prepare to see God do amazing things as you show hospitality—the love of God—to those that need him.
PRAYER: Lord, teach us how to welcome others in your name. Show us who needs a friend or a helping hand. Take our home, our resources, and our time and use them for your glory. Amen.
The Gift of Friendship
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” – Proverbs 17:17
When God brought you together, he knew the problems you would face. He created your marriage as a safe place in frightening times. It gives companion- ship when you’re lonely. Forgiveness when you fail. Encouragement when you feel defeated. An ally when enemies come against you. Acceptance when you’re put down or rejected. Help when you can’t make it on your own. Your spouse is a gift from God in times of trouble.
Today, commit to each other as friends. Build each other up. Help out and lighten one another’s load. Share laughter and fun. Keep each other’s secrets. Stay faithful and loyal in every situation. Show unconditional love.
Remember your bond in Christ. Pray together about the good and bad in your lives. Thank God for how he’s working in your circumstances. Encourage each other to trust in the Word. Praise him for building your marriage and filling it with love.
God truly did make you for each other. Embrace each other as lovers, friends, and brother and sister in Christ today.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for our marriage. Let us be true friends, no matter what happens. Join our hearts together by your Spirit. Amen.
Take a Break
“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” – Mark 6:30-31
When you’re hard-working and generous, you’re the one who people depend on. You become the boss’s go-to employee. Your family counts on your help and care. Your church and community rely on your capable hands. You give and serve without thinking of yourself.
Jesus knows that despite our best intentions, our strength has limits. We can wear down emotionally as we carry others’ burdens. Our energy is drained with- out taking time to recharge. Just as the Lord offered rest to his apostles, he offers it to you today.
Plan some time to step away from life’s demands. Meet with Jesus at “a quiet place and get some rest.” Read the Word and pray so he can refresh your spirit. Take a nap, enjoy God’s creation outdoors, and ‘unplug’. Reconnect with each other over an unhurried meal. Remember once more the joy of God’s love and your marriage.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for allowing us to give and serve in your name. Give us wisdom to know when to stop and rest. Be our strength and peace all the time. Amen.
Getting Along
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1
Conflict is stressful and steals the joy from your home. Bickering, complaining, and critical words tear intimacy apart. Harsh tempers and stubborn hearts break down trust. There’s nothing “good and pleasant” about constant fighting in your marriage.
The only solution to division is humility and prayer. Unity requires listening to the other’s point of view. It means giving up the desire to win and have your way. It focuses on the strengths and precious value of your partner. It admits where you’re wrong and need to change. It chooses the way of love and self-sacrifice.
Pray for peace between you today. Confess how you’ve put yourselves first. Ask for wisdom in difficult decisions. Seek the Lord’s help to understand your partner’s way of thinking. Thank God for the gift of your spouse in your life.
Let the love of Jesus breathe peace into your relationship. He’ll give you strength to forgive the past and cherish one another in the future. Your unity will demonstrate the love of God to a lost and hurting world.
PRAYER: Lord, make us one by your Spirit. Bind our hearts together and show us how to love like Jesus in every situation. Amen.
Our Heavenly Home
“Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” – Hebrews 11:16
You share an address with the one you love. Even if obligations keep you apart for a while, your true home is under the same roof. It would crush your marriage if one built a separate life somewhere else.
In the same way, God loves you and wants to be with you forever. He’s preparing a place in his house even now. It’s a beautiful paradise with no pain, sadness, or death. It’s always day, shining with God’s glory. It holds your inheritance he’s promised for following Jesus. It’s where you belong as his child.
Even with the promise of what’s to come, we get attached to this world. We’re easily satisfied by what we can touch and see with our eyes. Troubles and busy- ness consume our attention. Today, pray for a fresh longing for the “better country.” Hold your life loosely, since “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
Live like you’re leaving—obey God, share the gospel, and wait eagerly together for Jesus to come again.
PRAYER: Lord, let us always remember our true home is with you. Amen.
Put Words in Action
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” – John 3:18
It’s exhilarating to fall in love. We gaze into each other’s eyes over a candlelight dinner. We walk hand-in-hand on the beach. We exchange heartfelt gifts, talk late into the night, and want to be together every moment. We can’t say enough to express our love.
Over time, the intensity of romance will fade. Passionate words give way to love in action. You’ll manage the household while your spouse has the flu. You’ll share the bills, errands, and household chores. You’ll invest your time and energy to parent children, serve others, and build a career. You willingly give your loyalty, help, and support through everything that comes your way.
Tender, loving words do your heart’s good. But self-sacrifice, honesty, and faithfulness do even more. Are your words proven by action today? What does your partner do that makes you feel loved the most? How can you serve in new ways to deepen the love between you?
Jesus showed his love by laying his life down for us all. Love like him, willing to give yourselves up for each other today.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the joy of romance. Teach us to love even more by serving, giving, and walking in your truth. Amen.
Trusting and Loving
“This is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.” – 1 John 3:23
What is God’s will for your marriage? Believe in Christ and love one another. The two go hand in hand, binding you together in love and faith.
Belief without love is empty religion. It’s intellectual agreement with the Bible that’s cold and empty without the love of Jesus. It opens the door to legalism, self-righteousness, and pride.
Love without belief is limited and superficial. It’s motivated by emotion, and lacks the depth and power only found in Jesus. Without belief, your love for self will overtake your love for your spouse. Your strength to forgive, serve, and sacrifice for each other will crumble without a foundation of truth.
As you receive the love of God through believing in Jesus, share that love with one another. Forgive as you’ve been forgiven. Give as you’ve received from the Father. Surrender yourself for the good of your spouse, as Jesus gave his life for you. Let him fill your marriage with his perfect love today.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to trust in you more fully. Let us know Jesus deeply through your Word. Show us how to love each other as you love us. Amen.
Better Together
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17
We’re attracted to our partner’s strengths—at first! But over time those strengths can rub against our weaknesses. They challenge the faults and habits we tolerate in ourselves. We’re forced to take a fresh look at who we are and who we ought to be.
Your spouse’s quiet patience stands in contrast to your own quick temper. Diligence and organization stand apart from a haphazard approach to life. Easy going spontaneity draws you away from your need for control. Eager generosity loosens your grip on your finances. The character of your spouse becomes God’s tool to build your faith and make you more like Jesus.
What do you admire about your partner today? Which qualities set an example for your life? Open your hearts to one another’s influence. Be willing to change and grow. Pray for a teachable spirit to learn from your spouse. Allow the Lord to reveal himself in the ways they love, serve, and live like him.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for our marriage. It shapes our minds, hearts, and actions. Give us humility to honour each other’s strengths and abilities. Show us how to encourage one another in following you. Amen.
Seek and Find
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” – Jeremiah 29:13-14
There’s a difference between searching for God and just hoping he’ll show up when you need him. Seeking him with all your heart means praying all the time. Digging deep into the Word for wisdom. Reaching out for prayer and encouragement from other believers. Looking for signs of his presence in every situation. Wanting to do his will more than anything else.
Are you moved to pursue the Lord today? What do you need him to do for you? What questions need answers? Which doubts need reassurance? Which sins need forgiveness? What chains need breaking? What broken places need healing? Which praises and thanks are you eager to express? Don’t give up—if you look with your whole heart, he’s sure to be found.
God isn’t hiding out on you today. He’s ready to pour all his love into your life. Are you ready to give all of your heart to him?
PRAYER: Lord, we don’t want to live without you. Let us find you, know you more fully, and remain in you forever. Amen.
Why Me?
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’” – Judges 6:13
Pain and struggle bring the question, “Why?” Human reason says if God is good, we’ll never suffer. We’ll always win over our enemies. We’ll be happy and successful. All our dreams will come true. If we experience loss or trouble, we feel forgotten. We lose faith in God’s power and promises. We doubt his love.
Believe God’s Word today—he holds your life in his hands. He’s proven his love by giving Jesus’ life to pay for yours. He uses hard times for your good, to build your trust and prove he’s faithful. He knows what you need before you ask him. He offers “treasures in heaven” surpassing anything this world might offer.
Pray for eyes to see God’s goodness in your circumstances. Ask for deeper gratitude for all he’s done. Believe his wisdom is higher than your own. Trust that he’s with you all the time. Continue to bring him your questions and problems. He’ll fill you with peace as you depend on him.
PRAYER: Lord, keep our faith strong no matter what happens. You’re always good, always here, and always enough. Amen.
Lives Made New
“Then King David sent in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”” – 1 Chronicles 17:16
God knows the baggage you carried into your marriage. He recognizes the sins that trapped you for so long. He wept with you in your pain. He heard the hateful words and accusations you suffered. He saw the broken dreams and disappointments. He was there when you gave up hope for tomorrow.
Yet through all your trouble and heartache, God has been writing a story of victory. He set you free from the power of sin and death. He healed your wounds. He reconciled broken relationships. He proved that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
Today, praise God for bringing you this far together. Thank him for the work he’s done to renew your hearts and minds. Celebrate how you’ve stood against the enemy, resisted temptation, and overcome the past. Have joy in how he’s sustained your marriage and family. Worship him for loving you, and for all that’s still to come.
PRAYER: Lord, without you, we’d still be stuck and defeated. Thank you for bringing us this far by your love and power. Amen.
Kindly provided by Rob & Joanna Teigen. From their devotional "Closer-A 31-Day Devotional for Couples".