The wedding day has finally come. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will no longer be not-yet-married.
In a month or year or five years, people will ask us how marriage is going. We didn’t want to have to settle for how we feel in the moment, so we prayed about what we want out of marriage. We have specific, hope-filled dreams for what God might do as we patiently and selflessly give ourselves to one another day after day until death do us part.
My bride and I will walk the aisle looking beyond the altar, our beautiful bridal party, and all our beloved guests to something far bigger and more significant: a lifetime of treasuring Christ together in marriage.
For sure, we’re naïve and inexperienced, but we have a God bigger than all of our fears, inadequacies, and future failures. The marriage in our imaginations is not always pretty, but it is beautiful. It’s not always easy, but it is worth all the effort and sacrifice. It’s certainly not perfect, but it is filled with grace and joy.
“The marriage in our imaginations is not always pretty, but it is beautiful.” Tweet
These are seventeen dreams we have for our marriage. I wonder if you have dreams for yours? A marriage without a vision might survive, but it probably won’t grow or thrive. Whether you’re currently married or feel called to be married someday, God created marriage to be an amazingly rich, dynamic, and fruitful experience for his children. Pray and ask him to show you new and deeper dimensions of all he means marriage to be for you and your (future) spouse.
1. May we enjoy God more than anyone or anything else, including one another.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)
2. May we pray and pray and pray.
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” (Matthew 6.9–13″>Matthew 6:9–13)
3. May we have and raise joyful, godly children, if God wills.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. (Psalm 127.3–4″>Psalm 127:3–4)
4. May we be bold ambassadors for the gospel wherever we go and always be winning worshipers for him.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5.20–21″>2 Corinthians 5:20–21)
