For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God has a plan for each one of us. By extension, for those of us who are married he also has plans for our marriages, plans “to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.” That said though, we cannot just sit around and wait for God’s plans to come to fruition. When God told Abraham to “go to a land I will show you” and made his promise that Abraham’s descendants would be innumerable, and the whole world would be blessed by them, Abraham packed up and went. Not knowing exactly where he was going, he simply had faith that God would show him where he was supposed to be when the time came.
We too then, must take steps along our journey in order for God’s plans to come to fruition in our lives. Life is busy, and distracting. With our own schedules, kids’ schedules, work and all the other things going on around us, it is easy to become reactionary, bobbing and weaving with life’s punches to try our best to manage everything. When that happens our spouses, and our marriages, get given the remnants of our time, our effort and our attention.
God has plans for us - and thus so should we.
Young couples often make promises to never do “unromantic” things like schedule sex, or plan for date nights. After all, shouldn’t love be spontaneous? Sure, in Hollywood scripts, romance novels and love songs. (Incidentally, in all those things it is written out, scripted and planned) In real life though, anything worth doing or worth having is worth the time and effort spent to make happen. Time can be budgeted; maybe that’s the origin of the phrase “time is money!” At the beginning of each month, look at the calendar. Put down all the doctor appointments, soccer practices, dance recitals and scout meetings. Put down all the church committee meetings, business trips and other errands. Find time in amongst everything else and dedicate it to each other. Plan to have dinners, see movies, and allow for time to snuggle on the couch and yes, plan to make love to each other. Be intentional, make time for each other. Spontaneous love, sex and romance is great, until it doesn’t happen at all. You can always find ways to surprise each other within the framework of your schedule, so the planning doesn’t make it feel rote or dull.
Have God’s purposes for you and your marriage in your mind as you make your plans, and consider these two verses from Psalm 20:4
May he give you the desire of your heart, and make all your plans succeed.
and Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
God has a plan for you and your spouse. Actively work towards making those plans come to fruition, both for your own benefit and that of the kingdom to come!
