026 Christian Marriage: The Force of Patience

3 Minute Read that will bless your marriage all week

Happy Thursday! It’s Edward from Elevate Your Marriage. There are more than 60 marriages in the Bible and in this week’s newsletter I want to share 1 of them with you. 

Last week’s newsletter was the most shared Elevate Your Marriage newsletter yet (Thank You). So this week I want to share a little more on Abraham and Sarah, with an excerpt from week 35 of my 2011 couples devotional, Husbands, Wives, God Weekly Devotions: 52 Weeks of Enriching Devotions.

Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar: The Force of Patience {Read Psalm 37 and Isaiah 40:31

Genesis 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Edmund Burke, Anglo-Irish statesman, orator, British politician, and opponent of the French Revolution once said, “Our patience will achieve more than our force.” This statement was intended to steady the hearts and emotions of those fighting with him against the causes of the French Revolution. This statement also rings true in marriage. Beyond the results brought about by the works of our hands and reasoning of our minds lies the strength of a couple that patiently waits on the Lord for change.

Abraham and Sarah heard from the Lord concerning having a child, but they lost their patience while waiting on God. Instead, they took matters into their own hands, as Sarah gave her maid Hagar to become Abraham’s wife. Hagar then bore Abraham the child that he and Sarah did not think God could give to them.

The result of their impatience was a real mess: the harsh mistreatment of Hagar and of Ishmael, her son conceived with Abraham. Furthermore, their impatience resulted in a great deal of distress for Abraham (Genesis 21:11), who was now caught between two wives and unable to be a part of his son Ishmael’s life.

Abraham and Sarah’s impatience with God’s timing brought them distress and headaches that they should, or would, not have had to deal with. Their impatience produced the exact opposite of what Edmund Burke recommended as a means of achieving much.

Resist the urge to take matters into your own hands. Be patient - in the Lord. Wait on the Lord to change and develop both you and your spouse. Exercise patience with one another and God.

Couple’s Meditations for the Week: 

• In light of Edmund Burke’s statement, is our patience in God a sense of strength to our marriage?

• Read and meditate individually on Psalm 37. Make a date together to discuss Psalm 37 and ask each other these 2 questions, “What did you get from it?” and “What does Psalm 37 make you think about our relationship?”

Prayer for our Marriage: Lord, give us strength to wait patiently on your plan and timing.

I pray this week’s newsletter/devotional will be a blessing to your marriage. Do you know of a couple that would benefit from this week’s newsletter - click the share button.

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Have a blessed week, I am praying for your marriage!

Elevate Your Marriage

Edward

P.S. Want the 52 week devotional this week’s newsletter came from?