A Prayer about Redemption in Marriage
Redeeming Lord,
On this my 39th wedding anniversary,
I marvel at your kindness to my husband and to me.
We both readily admit
that marriage hasn’t always been easy,
because our natural tendencies don’t really fit
the description of our calling in marriage.
I don’t naturally submit to my husband,
and he doesn’t naturally nourish me
the way Christ does the church (Ephesians 5:22, 33, 25).
And yet, what we would also confess
is that you have
redeemed us,
transformed us,
sharpened us,
through marriage.
Over the years,
by the power of the Holy Spirit alone,
through faith in Christ alone,
we have ever so slowly
become people
who will sacrifice our agendas for the other.
You have been at work,
making us less selfish
and more dependent —
on one another and mostly, on you.
And my hunch is that’s exactly how you meant it to be.
Thank you for your redemptive work in marriages.
When it’s hard, continue to bless us all
with the hope and love of our Savior,
the perfect bridegroom who gave himself up
to sanctify us for himself (Ephesians 5:25-26).
In his forgiving name. Amen.
Read Ephesians 4:21-5:33.
