I’m now fast approaching seven weeks until I get married. As I reflect upon the way that my life will change (and is already changing), I’m reminded of the way in which Scripture calls me to love my wife, and how Jesus demonstrated that love and relationship in community with the Father and the Spirit through prayer. It’s so important that I pray for my wife. And I don’t just mean a quick little prayer for her in the morning or at night; I mean intentional and devoted praying for her.
As I’ve been thinking about reasons I need to pray for my wife, here are a few:
Prayer causes me to consider her.
I have a busy life, and I can easily be distracted away from her needs; becoming deaf to her concerns and insensitive to how she is feeling. Prayer causes me to dedicate time to consider how she might be feeling about all aspects of our lives (even the things that I happen to think are going fine), and be more sensitive to her struggles and needs.
Prayer is how I fight for her.
It’s my role to seek protection for her, and prayer is the way through which I ask the Holy Spirit to cover her emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. This comes in addition to our reading of Scripture and praying together; I seek Christ’s protection for my wife from my knees.
Prayer helps maintain our three-strand-cord marriage.
Praying for my wife correctly orients my heart towards seeking God and his will for us as a family. Prayer continually reminds me that not only am I seeking to live in the will of Christ, but I’m actually seeking to become Christ, so in praying for her my heart is softened, helping me to love her more like Christ does.
Prayer helps me to treasure her.
I should take delight in my wife; she should know every day that she has captured my heart. Just as God in Christ demonstrated the supreme treasuring of his bride through the cross, so (beginning with prayer) I should continually stir deep, lasting affection for my wife every day, and this affection should naturally be part of her every day life.
She needs it.
My wife isn’t perfect. She’s a sinner saved by grace, just like me. And just like me, she needs the saving and sustaining power of the gospel every second of every day. On top of this, she makes my life look like a summer cruise on an ocean liner. She needs prayer.
Husband, pray for your wife.
