Praise him?

If only you had paid attention to My commands, your peace would have been like a river...
Isaiah 48:18

A precious friend, newly married, called me last night needing prayer for her and her husband.  They'd had a fight, one of several in recent days, it turns out.  Through tears, she spilled out a few pertinent details.   I, too, with memories of being a new bride, teared up and immediately, knowing there was no thing I could do to make things better, began praying aloud with her.  By God's good grace, we were "hoping patiently for what [she] does not yet have [Romans 8:25], " a peaceful marriage.

The Lord pressed their needs on my heart several times last night and early this morning.  So I lifted them and their marriage up to Him hopefully.  

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."  [Romans 5:5]

Later, as I ate my cereal and fresh blueberries, I opened the Day 12 email from Revive Our Hearts:  30 Days of Encouraging Your Husband.  [Click on the link to sign up for the challenge.]

Again, the Lord reminded me of  my friend and her husband.  I began composing an email to forward to her today's challenge about a wife's own heart attitude as she struggles to find something praiseworthy in her husband.  Because I know she and I aren't the only wives who are challenged in these areas, I decided to share my thoughts with you, too.

Hi, ***

As I was lifting you in prayer this morning, Colossians 3:23,24 came to mind:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
People who marry, marry sinners.  Because of sin, Jesus chose to be sacrificed for His Bride, the Church.  In so doing, we have the gracious privilege of having intimacy with the Maker, Savior, and Comforter of the human race!  
So, marriage means sacrifice.  Moment by moment, dying to self.  Begin the discipline of habitually praising Jesus by praising, esteeming your husband.  Such praise begins in a heart that is repentant and submitted to Jesus first. That kind of praise will rise to heaven as a fragrant offering on the altar of your marriage.  Such an aroma is pleasing to our Heavenly Father, our husbands, and to everyone around us.   
"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."  2 Corinthians 2:15 

I promise you that you will be rewarded by God for your efforts.

And peace like a river will flow into your hurting heart.

Love, Karen 

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