National Pray for Marriage Day

Brother Lawrence, a lay minister at a Carmelite Paris monastery in the mid 1600s, frequently extolled the power and benefits of prayer.

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful,” he wrote, “than that of a continual conversation with God.”

I agree with Brother Lawrence. Prayer is the answer to the challenges of our day. Of course we are to be people of action, but first we must be people of prayer.

This coming Sunday, February 26^th, has been designated as the National Pray for Marriage Day by our friends at the Alliance Defense Fund. I strongly and enthusiastically endorse their effort and would urge you to participate by petitioning the Lord for His intervention on several issues:

First, please remember to praise God for the impact of marriage. Thank Him for how marriage refines our character, creates stable families for children and unites men and women in an enduring whole-life union.
Second, please pray for the marriages in your community. Do you know a couple who is struggling? Ask for healing, restoration and divine protection.
Third, please pray for the future of marriage. Ask the Lord to soften hard hearts and encourage people to uphold the truth that marriage between one man and one woman is the foundation of society and the best environment for raising children.
Fourth, please pray for God’s design for sex and sexuality in marriage to be realized. Ask Him to help His people preserve and strengthen their vows – and help bring restoration and reconciliation to those who have fallen from their commitment.
Lastly, please pray for victory in the pending lawsuits and various pieces of legislation that threatens to undermine marriage, including the recent ruling that declared California’s Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional.

We should pray regularly for the institution of marriage, of course, but I hope you’ll join me in helping spread the word about this coming Sunday’s special designation. Let’s bombard Heaven with our prayers of praise and petition.