07/11/2012
Are You Praying For Your Future Spouse?
By Daniel Wells
A lot of us have read books on courtship, dating, relationships, etc. We may know what we want to look for in a future husband or wife, and we may even think we know that person right now. It's good to know what to look for and use wisdom in this area (I wish I had more wisdom in this area), but I want to encourage you to add something else to your repertoire.
Praying for your future spouse will be a blessed experience.
When I was 14, I was a baby Christian, but I began to pray for my future wife. No, I didn't ask God to make her look pretty or try to design her personality the way I want it to be. I asked God to bless her wherever she was. Whether I knew her already or not, whether right now she is a Christian or not, whether right now she is spiritually mature or not, I asked God to watch over her and to keep her safe and pure.
I love my wife. Sure, I don't know who she is yet, and I don't stay up all night daydreaming about her (that would be weird), but just by praying for her, I am already committing myself to her. We know that we are to commit our bodies to the Lord and to our future spouses, but I think it is also a wise thing to commit our prayer life to them too.
A lot of this may sound silly at first, but I would encourage all of you to do this. Even if you have a steady girlfriend or boyfriend, or if you are courting someone, or you are already engaged, I still encourage you to pray for your spouse.
If we truly believe that prayer matters and that prayer can change things, it would make sense to pray for our future spouses.
Men, ask God to bless your wives and to protect and provide for them.
Women, ask God to bless your husbands and to them grow in Godly wisdom (boy do we need it).
Example Prayer:
Father God, thank you for the gift of marriage. Thank you that this is your will for my life.
If it truly is your will that I find someone one day and commit my life to them, I ask that you see this happen. Lord, I don't know who my future wife is. I don't know where she is, and I don't even know if I have met her or not.
Whoever she is and wherever she is, I ask that you watch out for her. I pray that You lead her , protect her, provide for her, and teach her your Truth.
I also pray that you provide men and father figures in her life that can show her love and compassion. I pray that you provide these things for her until she is finally betrothed to me.
Also, help me develop into the Godly man you have called me to be. May I reflect Your Son, who is the true model for masculinity. Mold me into the future husband you want me to be, and mold my future wife in the woman you wish for her to be.
I pray these things in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen