Prayer invites the culture of heaven into your marriage.
A Men Only Monday post
I’m continuing my series on how to transform the culture of your marriage, focusing on the power of prayer. Today, I’m specifically writing to husbands about taking up the mantle of prayer warrior. It’s a role you might the reluctant to step forward in, but it’s an essential one.
Why Prayer Matters
Prayer is not just a key part of Leading Your Wife Spiritually. It may not make sense to you, but if you knew the power it holds to make her feel loved, cared for, protected, and safe you would be much bolder to ramp up your prayer life. And when she feels your love in the form of care and protection, your wife will more easily surrender herself to your leadership. Plus, most wives find a praying husband compellingly attractive. I’m not kidding.
When I pray for or with my wife, three things are happening at once (and probably more). The first is that I’m inviting God’s involvement, intervention, and perspective with regard to whatever I’m praying about. The second is that it makes me feel closer to her as I’m joining her in whatever is going on in our lives. Third, as I said above, it makes her feel covered and protected.
All of these have the power to affect the culture of our marriages.
Heaven’s Intervention
God is a good Father. He longs to give good gifts to His children. Jesus is also an excellent Bridegroom, who gave us the example of going to the Father on behalf of His bride. Jesus intercedes on our behalf, so loving your wife like Christ loves the church should include that as well. Prayer is our way of agreeing with God’s goodness and inviting His participation with us.
Whether you are praying for healing, for peace, for your marriage or for God’s blessing on your wife and children, you’re inviting God to intervene on their behalf. You’re agreeing with heaven and agreeing to love your wife as Jesus loves us.
Heaven’s Culture
Prayer also helps me to see things from God’s perspective, as I dialog with God about whatever is happening in our lives, and it allows my heart to hear His leading. It’s always amazing how my thinking shifts from an earthly perspective to a heavenly one when I start to offer things up in prayer.
By shifting my thinking, I am actually changing my mindset and thereby helping to shift the atmosphere in my life, marriage, and home to line up with the Kingdom of Heaven.
Prayer As Conversation
You don’t need a bunch of theological training to pray. You don’t have to jump through any spiritual hoops or even clean up all the sin in your life before you pray. God invites us to come to Him as we are, to communicate with Him and enjoy the intimacy of our relationship.
Often, the most powerful prayers are the simplest ones. God loves it when we come to Him and pour out our hearts in sincere conversation.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)
So don’t disqualify yourself from praying. Jesus has qualified you to approach Him with confidence. You don’t have to do anything but come to Him boldly.
If praying out loud with your wife is too big a step for you at this time, simply start by asking her, “How can I pray for you today.” Then do it, and let her know you did. If you receive any impressions during your prayer time, let her know that as well. Don’t forget to pray specifically for your marriage. God is totally for your marriage and these are prayers He is eager to answer!
Come to God freely and frequently, and pray for (and with) your wife. I promise she will love you all the more for it. Watch as the culture of your marriage changes for the better through the power of prayer.
Wives, if you are reading this post and nodding your head, you might want to read my post on How to Support Your Husband’s Spiritual Leadership.
Previous posts in this Marriage Culture series.