Godly, Jesus-centered marriages are characterized by spouses helping each other get closer to God. Both the husband and the wife in such unions know that God is top priority, and both of them only come second to Jesus. But while it sounds really good, we all know that it's easier said than done.
Christ Himself gave the perfect model of bringing a spouse closer to the Father. Ephesians 5:25-27 says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." Christ gave Himself up so that He could bring His bride (the church) closer to Him. In the same way, husbands and wives should help their spouses get closer to God.
Are you looking for ways to help your spouse get closer to the Lord? Here are some things you can do to help:
1) Pray for your spouse
1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."
We all know that God can do a better job than any of us, right? Pray for your spouse without ceasing. It's God's will for us to pray for our spouses, that they will have a closer relationship with Him. Keep praying! Better yet, ask your spouse to join you in your prayer times so that you can personally pray for him/her.
2) Show Godly character
Nothing turns a spouse off from God more than a "Christian" wife's or husband's character. How do you treat your spouse? Are you treating him/her in a way that glorifies God? 1 Peter 3 1-7 says that wives can win their husbands over by their behavior, even without words. In the same passage, Peter warns husbands to be considerate of their wives so that nothing will hinder their prayers! Remember: you can't be a Christ-follower with just your mouth. You should show it in your life and work!
3) Let your spouse prioritize God more than you
Let's admit it. Most husbands want their wives to serve them. Some wives, on the other hand, want their husbands to treat them like a queen. There's nothing wrong with that, but if a spouse becomes too demanding of his/her spouse's time and attention, the latter might not be able to cultivate a growing relationship with the Lord.
Give your spouse some time to pray and read the Bible. Allow him/her to take part in that discipleship group. Let each of you enjoy the beauty of worshipping the Lord either alone in private or when together inside and outside the home. Give each other some room to grow.
