FOR THOSE FACING MARITAL
AND FAMILY CONCERNS
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SCRIPTURES
Respect your father and mother. Exodus 20:12
Do not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget
these commands that I am giving you today. Teach them to your children. Deuteronomy 6:5-7a
If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless. Psalm 127:1
A good wife is her husband's pride and joy; but a wife who brings shame on her husband is like a
cancer in his bones. Proverbs 12:4
Teach a child how he should live, and he will remember it all his life. Proverbs 22:6
Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your
appreciation. A righteous man's father has a good reason to be happy. You can take pride in a wise
son. Let your father and mother be proud of you; give your mother that happiness. Proverbs
23:22,24-25
Jesus answered, Haven't you read the scripture that says that in the beginning the Creator made
people male and female? And God said, `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and
unite with his wife, and the two will become one.' So they are no longer two, but one. Man must not
separate then, what God has joined together. Matthew 19:4-6
A man should fulfill his duty as a husband, and a woman should fulfill her duty as a wife, and each
should satisfy the other's needs. I Corinthians 7:3
Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. `Respect your
father and mother' is the first commandment that has a promise added: `so that all may go well with
you, and you may live a long time in the land.' Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to
make them angry. Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction. Ephesians 6:1-4
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, for that is what you should do as Christians. Husbands,
love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your
parents always, for that is what pleases God. Parents, do not irritate your children, or they will
become discouraged. Colossians 3:18-21
PRAYERS
Great God, Father of families: guard the laughter of children. Bring _____ safely through injury and
illness. Give _____ patience when their children are demanding. Do not let them be so preoccupied
with their concerns that they fail to hear their children's voices, or to pay attention to their needs; but
keep them ready to listen and to love, even as in Jesus Christ you have loved them. Amen.
Merciful God: we pray for understanding when wills, schedules, values, and resources clash in the
_____ family. Help them to be candid, but not cruel. May they respect one another even as they
each grow in their independence and ability to make decisions. May the strength of their family allow
each to be their best self in the world. Amen.
Almighty God: in the beginning you made man and woman to join themselves in shared affection. As
a husband and wife may _____ and _____ be so sure of each other that no fear or disrespect may
shake their vows. Help them to build a home where no one is a stranger. At work or in leisure, let
them enjoy each other, forgive each other, and embrace each other faithfully, serving the Lord of
love, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Eternal God: you have led _____ and _____ through many years as a couple and as parents. They
have matured in wisdom and faith; but now the children are grown and gone. Be with them in this
time of re-discovering one another and your purposes for them. As they continue to mature, may
they not find life empty or their work stale; may they devote themselves to worthy tasks and loves.
Amen.
Lord God, who set us in families, where we learn to live together in love and truth: strengthen weak
bonds of love. Where separation threatens _____, move in with your forgiving power. Melt hard
hearts, free fixed minds, break the hold of stubborn pride. Lay claim on each, so that their separation
claims may be set aside in love. Amen.
God of grace: you are always working to hold us together, to heal division, and make love strong.
Help _____ and _____ whose marriage is breaking up. May they know that you remain faithful. Help
them make the tough decisions, restore confidence, bring self-understanding, and ease the hurt. Let
your healing allow them to enter healthy relationships. Amen.
God our Father: watch over _____ who has lost a parent by death (or is separated from a parent by
divorce). Help them cope with the loneliness and bitterness. Show them that they are under your
protection, so that they have not less love, but more. Give them friends who understand, affirm their
worth, and enjoy them for all they are. Amen.