The Invitation

Loving and befriending is hard work. But what did I expect? Maybe that as the years added up this would get easier? That it would become a good habit that would become as natural as breathing? Not sure if those thoughts were conscious ones, but I think that was my expectation. Or perhaps just wishful thinking?

Included in one of the anniversary cards we received recently was a holy card containing “A Marriage Prayer”. It now serves as my daily reminder, not only for us as a couple, but for all the relationships in our lives.

The final line of the prayer -- Dear Lord, we put our marriage into Your hands – serves to remind me that none of us does life alone. Lately I have expanded the prayer “We put our marriage into Your hands” by adding “and we open our hands to You, inviting You into our marriage.”

Having a spouse provides its own blessings and challenges. Not only do we need to place each other and our relationships into the Lord’s care, but in turn we open and extend the hands of our hearts to actively invite Him into our lives.

Extending the invitation is something I need to work on with all my relationships. In my self-reliance, I forget how much my Lord desires to be part of my life and how much I need Him in return.

Let’s invite Him to join with us in all relationships and give Him permission to be part of our lives every day.

Father, I pray that numerous times throughout this day I may extend an invitation to You. In return, please give me the grace to accept all Your invitations.