Today’s Thought
As God expands your lives, never allow the blessings around your marriage to become more important than the marriage itself.
Scripture
Romans 11:17 -18 – “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, don’t consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.”
Devotion
As a tree grows taller and stronger, the branches begin to spread in every direction. In the beginning there are only a few, then more appear. Before you realise the tree becomes full and beautiful.
Branches remind us that life is expanding.
In marriage
This is the season when children become part of the family. The young branches grow from the strength of the trunk and receive life from the same roots.
Children are one of God’s greatest gifts, but they also bring new responsibilities. They need love, guidance, discipline, patience, and time. It can be easy for husbands and wives to become so busy raising children that they forget to care for their own relationship.
Remember this important truth: Healthy children grow best on the strong trunk of a healthy marriage. Your marriage is the trunk of the family. Your children are not meant to become the centre of your relationship. They are meant to grow from it.
Branches also represent our careers, ministries, friendships, responsibilities, dreams, and the many opportunities God brings into our lives. As life becomes fuller, we must be careful not to allow our schedules to become more important than our marriage.
A tree with too many unhealthy branches becomes weak. In the same way, a couple can become so busy doing good things that they stop investing in the best thing – their relationship.
Keep growing together, talking, laughing, and making time for one another. As your family grows, let your love grow too.
Strong branches are supported by a strong trunk, and a strong trunk depends on deep roots. Everything is connected.
Question to think and talk about
What “branches” are growing in our lives right now, and are any of them taking time or attention away from our marriage?
Challenge
Set aside one uninterrupted hour today to spend together without phones, television, work, or other distractions. Use the time to enjoy each other’s company and simply reconnect as husband and wife.
Pray together
Lord, thank you for every blessing You have entrusted to us – our family, our work, our friendships, and every opportunity You place before us. Help us to manage these blessings wisely without neglecting the relationship You have given us. Teach us to keep our marriage at the centre of our family and to make time for one another, even during life’s busiest seasons. May our home be built upon love, unity, and Your presence. Amen.