A Triple-Braided Cord Strengthens Marriage

One of the more devastating events in my life was the end of my thirty-year marriage. I spent the next ten years as a single. During this time, I discovered God’s grace, for His power was perfected in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). God drew me close, and our relationship blossomed.

God helped me thrive at work and provided a church family that gave me a warm sense of belonging. I celebrated joyous events with my family – graduations, weddings, and the birth of grandchildren. A group of friends and activities filled spare time.

Occasionally, I grew lonely but maintained gratitude for God’s blessings. I discovered the abundant life Jesus promises in John 10:10.

I was content.

After ten years of single hood, I met someone. I wasn’t looking—why upset the applecart?

We married six years ago and I love sharing life with him. It hasn’t always been easy. Challenges and doubts have lined the highway of our journey together.

We were old enough to be set in our ways when we met. But there he was, and eventually God convinced me He dropped him into my life for a reason. We click along in an easy rhythm now while laughing a lot. It helps that I’m no longer young and spiritually immature. I know who I am in Christ. And I know who he is.

Cord of Three Strands

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 shows us why marriage is a beautiful thing between man and woman and goes on to state, “three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

When husband and wife are interwoven with God, the bond is much stronger. The cord of three strands represents the joining of the groom, bride, and God in marriage. “Where two are closely joined in holy love and fellowship, Christ will by his Spirit come to them; then there is a threefold cord” (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary).

Maintaining the Cord of Three Strands

Keeping this triple-braided cord taut doesn’t happen automatically. As with most good things in life, we have to work on it. We’ve discovered a few things that help.

1. Pray Together

We pray together when there’s a family need or worry facing us. We realize we need to improve in this area because praying together brings us closer to each other and to God at the same time.

2. Pray for Each Other

At first, I prayed for my husband in general terms—his health, safety, a work situation. It grew stale and uninspiring. Then I discovered a free resource: 31 Days of Prayer for My Spouse offered by Christian writer Cathy Baker. Cathy suggests specific topics to pray each day. When my spouse doesn’t have a specific need, I pull the calendar from my Bible and choose one.

Cathy offers plenty of other resources on her site and through her interactive Facebook Group Creative Pauses.

3. Share Devotion Time

Last year, we read through Lori Hatcher’s devotional, Moments with God for Couples. I learned things about my husband I didn’t know, like the type of gifts he prefers. One of my favorite devotions suggested we practice paying compliments to each other.

We started most weekdays with fifteen minutes of devotion time. Sometimes schedules caused us to miss, but we remained devoted to this time together. A huge plus is we took turns ending each devotion with prayer (see #1).

We started this year by completing Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages Survey and are deciding on a book to read together. Many devotionals and resources for couples are out there for your consideration. It’s never too late to strengthen the cord of three strands.

Marriage is not an Automatic Happily-Ever-After Fairytale

When we marry and expect a magical fairytale, disappointment ensues.

A wiser approach is to link arms with God, you on one side and your husband on the other. Honor God in everything you do and involve Him in every significant decision. God will bless your marriage.

Wishing you a loving Valentine’s Day! What steps will you take to strengthen your cord of three strands?

Book Giveaway Winner

Thank you for your feedback on Marilyn Nutter’s new book, Hope for Widows. Congratulations to Jackie Freeman for winning the drawing! I also heard from readers through email who expressed appreciation for the book, or how they shared the post with widowed friends. Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing the excerpt, “Anchors,” from your book. Find it here if you missed it.

Until next time…

Immersed in His Love,

Candyce