“I Promise . . .”
“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” Matthew 5:37
Love can be defined in myriad ways, but in marriage “I love you” really means “I promise to be there for you all of my days.” It is a promise that says, “I’ll be there when you lose your job, your health, your parents, your looks, your confidence, your friends.” It’s a promise that tells your partner, “I’ll build you up; I’ll overlook your weaknesses; I’ll forgive your mistakes; I’ll put your needs above my own; I’ll stick by you even when the going gets tough.”
This kind of assurance will hold you steady through all of life’s ups and downs, through all the “better or worse” conditions.
The Lord has demonstrated throughout the ages that He keeps His promises—including the most important one of all, reserving a spot in heaven for each of His followers, for all eternity. Since God keeps His promises, we must keep ours too—especially the one we made before God, our family, our friends, and our church on our wedding day.
Just between us . . .
• What part of my wedding vow means the most to you now?
• In what ways has our pledge to “stick together no matter what” seen us through hard times?
• How do we benefit spiritually from keeping our commitments?
Dear Lord, give us Your strength today to honor our promises. May our word be our bond—to each other, to our friends, and to family and associates. Thank You that You never waiver on Your promises to us! Amen.
Listen to today's broadcast of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk at OnePlace.com. For more from Dr. Dobson, visit the resource center at drjamesdobson.org.
This devotional is taken from Night Light for Couples. Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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With so much confusion about the role of men in society, it’s no wonder we have questions about how to bring up boys in the right way. Why are so many young males in crisis? What qualities should we be instilling in our sons? The culture has vilified masculinity, and as a result, an entire generation of boys is growing up without a clear idea of what it means to be a man. To help parents confront this challenge, the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute has developed a new 10-day email series based on Dr. Dobson’s best-selling book, Bringing Up Boys. It’s designed to equip you to wisely lead your sons to become godly men.