Devotionals for August 31, 2023
Our next Night of Worship will be on Saturday, September 30th at 6:30pm. Make plans to join us!
READ
Ephesians 5:22-33
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Proverbs 27:15 A nagging wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm. 16 Stopping her is like trying to stop the wind. It’s like trying to grab olive oil with your hand.
Proverbs 21:9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely
home.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Proverbs 27:15 A nagging wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm. 16 Stopping her is like trying to stop the wind. It’s like trying to grab olive oil with your hand.
Proverbs 21:9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely
home.
REFLECT
A Marriage is … Trust
Trust is vital to a marriage. There is usually a pledge, a promise, a covenant between a man and woman in the marriage ceremony. It takes a lot of trust to maintain the other person will hold true to their commitment while following Paul’s advice for husbands and wives in the verses above regarding respect and sacrifice.
Trust only comes to fruition through communication. There are a couple of humorous but poignant stories about marriage counseling interactions.
A couple was talking to their counselor and the wife told the counselor her husband hasn’t told her that he loves her in over 40 years. The counselor looked at the husband who responded “I told you ‘I love you’ on our wedding day and I’ll let you know if that changes.”
Another couple in counseling were taking turns talking about their spouse. The husband went on how awful his wife is, how she’s mean, vindictive, along with all other sorts of unflattering things. The counselor responded “She sounds awful! Why would you marry such a woman?” The husband quickly shot back “She wasn’t like that when we first got married!”
A lack of communication breeds fear and resentment. Love that is nurtured, cared for, communicated often will know no fear. Remember, love is a choice. Choose everyday to love your spouse and tell them, even if you may not feel like it. God chose you.
Trust is vital to a marriage. There is usually a pledge, a promise, a covenant between a man and woman in the marriage ceremony. It takes a lot of trust to maintain the other person will hold true to their commitment while following Paul’s advice for husbands and wives in the verses above regarding respect and sacrifice.
Trust only comes to fruition through communication. There are a couple of humorous but poignant stories about marriage counseling interactions.
A couple was talking to their counselor and the wife told the counselor her husband hasn’t told her that he loves her in over 40 years. The counselor looked at the husband who responded “I told you ‘I love you’ on our wedding day and I’ll let you know if that changes.”
Another couple in counseling were taking turns talking about their spouse. The husband went on how awful his wife is, how she’s mean, vindictive, along with all other sorts of unflattering things. The counselor responded “She sounds awful! Why would you marry such a woman?” The husband quickly shot back “She wasn’t like that when we first got married!”
A lack of communication breeds fear and resentment. Love that is nurtured, cared for, communicated often will know no fear. Remember, love is a choice. Choose everyday to love your spouse and tell them, even if you may not feel like it. God chose you.
APPLY
Q: What are the areas of communication that can be improved in your relationship?
Q: What does sacrifice and respect mean to each of you? Talk about it. Husbands, what can you do to lift your wife up? Wives, what can you do to give your husbands confidence and encouragement?
Q: When others see your relationship, do they see the joy? Do they see the grace?
Q: What does sacrifice and respect mean to each of you? Talk about it. Husbands, what can you do to lift your wife up? Wives, what can you do to give your husbands confidence and encouragement?
Q: When others see your relationship, do they see the joy? Do they see the grace?
SING
PRAY
"Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."
Forgive us God when we hold back what we should say to each other that brings love and joy. Give us the words that bring us closer together in body, soul, and spirit and heal wounded hearts.
Forgive us God when we hold back what we should say to each other that brings love and joy. Give us the words that bring us closer together in body, soul, and spirit and heal wounded hearts.