Monday, March 01, 2010

Praying Together



I hope you can overlook the poor quality of the above photo (I snapped a picture of a very old video playing on the television. I'm a techno wizard, I tell you!). Despite the fuzziness, I think it's worth posting because it's an image captured at our wedding. This picture marks the very first time my husband and I prayed as man and wife.

I wish I could say it was the first of countless daily prayer times together, but I can't. True confession time (is it ever anything else on this blog?!). We don't pray together regularly. Rarely do we pray by ourselves without a specific reason. I wish we did. He wishes we did. We just never got in the habit.

We talked about it when we were dating, but he felt the emotional and spiritual connection created in prayer may make the physical temptations stronger. He made a good point. Why add fuel to a smoldering fire? I thanked God he worried about maintaining our purity.

After we married. . .well, you know how life has a way of sucking every good intention out of you? Yeah. Guilty. It's not for lack of trying. We've attempted to pray at night before bed many times, but then one of us goes to sleep before the other, somebody needs help with homework or we're so tired we don't feel we honor God as we should and the practice slowly disappears.

I cherish sweet memories of special prayer times together over the years--moving into our home, before my father's funeral, when a child was sick, entreating God's mercy for important meetings, asking for His guidance in writing projects, things like that. Yet quiet times of coming into God's presence without a designated purpose escapes us. It saddens me some, you know?

What have we missed out on by not fighting for consistent prayer time together?

When I look at this picture, I see strength, solidarity, unity. I am reminded of Jesus' words, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Who wouldn't welcome these into their marriage? It makes me think establishing the habit is worth another try. Maybe we start small, planning to pray together just once a month and progress from there. Some is better than none, right?

Our first prayer together clearly illustrates the benefits to my marriage FAR outweigh the inconvenience and struggle. The payoff is huge. It's worth the fight Satan is bound to give us.

What about you? Have you had success in finding a regular prayer time with your spouse? How do you do it? What suggestions could you give us?

1st Monday Every Month at Chrysalis


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12 comments:

Bobbi said...

We were the same way...great intentions but life sucked ALOT more out of us than we thought possible. Recently, some stressful events have brought us to our knees literally...and we're committing to pray together each morning. It's hard to change but I believe God will bless it. Thanks for your honesty...it makes it easier for me to be honest too. Have a great day!

Claudia said...

As always, I appreciate your honesty and transparency. I pray that your marriage will be strengthened as you take the time to pray together. The picture at your wedding does say it all.

sharon said...

Like Bobbi, we started the same way but somewhere along the road. . . thank God for his faithfulness anyway. And yeah, some IS better than none.

Julie Arduini said...

"Our first prayer together clearly illustrates the benefits to my marriage FAR outweigh the inconvenience and struggle. The payoff is huge. It's worth the fight Satan is bound to give us."

This is a wonderful sentiment. Prayer really changes things. Thank you for the post, wonderful reading!

April Feagley said...

I'm so relieved to learn that this is not just an area under construction in our marriage! Thank you so much for your honest sharing! Have a wonderful day!

Faith said...

I am so glad to see other women have similar struggles. yes, life has often been in the way of our praying as a couple. I treasure the times we DO have prayer together...usually reserved for major decisions or situations needing much intercession....thank you for this as this post really blessed me today

tonya said...

When hard times come, I think it is wonderful to see when a couple can unite in prayer instead of going their own separate way.

I think we all have times where life and our schedules get the best of us. But then we are in it for the long haul. In time those moments spent go far in God's economy. :)

Great post

Susannah said...

I enjoyed this post Tami... and your honesty, as always.

"We talked about it when we were dating, but he felt the emotional and spiritual connection created in prayer may make the physical temptations stronger. He made a good point."

If this was true before your marriage, I wonder how it would affect your time in the bedroom now???? (LOL, fanning self.)

There does seem to be a strong connection between spiritual and physical intimacy. I've noticed I want them in the reverse order than e-Dad does! (Spiritual then physical for me, physical then spiritual for him.) One of those imponderable God-given differences of our two genders...

As always, thanks for joining us for Marriage Monday today, Tami Bee!

((Hugs)) e-Mom

Denise said...

Praying blessings over your marriage.

Susan said...

Oh Tami,

This was great. I love your honesty.

We do pray together, but not as often as I'd like.

But I'm so blessed we have made it a habit we haven't broke over the years.

Like anything, it starts with a decision. I'll get a fan too. :)

Hey, I'll pray for you guys, now let me know how it goes!! Ha Ha...

Love ya!!

Jaime Kubik said...

Great post Tami. As always, I loved your words. By the way, I had no idea your techno skills were so advanced! You truly are a wizard! Love you.

Wife of Rob said...

Tami!
You are SOOOOOOO not alone sister! We have been trying to purpose to pray more together, but life happens. I appreciate your transparency in your article! You rock!

Many hugs
jen