When You Rise Up / When You Lie Down

Normally, when we hear the phrases “When you rise up” and “When you lie down,” visions of Deuteronomy 6 go through our heads. If they’re familiar to you, you think of parenting. If they’re not familiar to you, nothing may go through your head. Taking a different perspective, let’s look at them through the lens of marriage.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? I mean before the shower, the breakfast, and the coffee. (Yes, something positive can actually happen before the coffee.) What’s the last thing you do before falling asleep? Here’s a very practical suggestion that can maximize two brief moments that repeat every day.

Even before getting out of bed, consider praying for each other. Men, pray for the day your wife is about to face. If you are familiar with her schedule or plans, pray specifically. If she’s teaching the children, pray for her patience and understanding. If she’s going to work outside the home, pray for her protection…for a project she’s working on…for God-centered thoughts throughout the day.

Ladies, pray for the day your husband is about to face. For meetings or appointments you know he’s going to have. Pray for safety, for Godward thoughts, for courage to share his faith.

All of this can take about 2 minutes. A simple whispered prayer, audibly spoken, not only encourages your spouse, but lays faith-filled petitions before the throne of God. Because this may be a new idea…praying before you even feel awake…let me suggest a couple of things.

- Keep it short: Long winded prayers as you wake up or lie down often initiate instant sleep for your spouse. Keep it short so they can participate.

- Be specific: You can only know if your prayers are answered if they’re specific. Pray for specific blessings and outcomes…and remember to ask how things turned out.

- Be wind conscious: If you’re truly praying first thing…before anything else…then you have not yet brushed your teeth. So, be thoughtful about the direction of your whispers. Remember, you want your prayerful words to bless your spouse.

And do the same as you lie down. After you turn out the lights, take a couple seconds to thank God for the day and for any answered prayers from that morning. If situations have developed in the home that day, pray for them…whether they are marital, parental or professional. Again…keep it short and be specific. Trusting that you’ve brushed your teeth before going to bed, be released from being wind conscious.

As you pray “When You Rise Up” and “When You Lie Down,” you may find that the very brief times of marital prayer lead to more extended times elsewhere in your day. Making prayer a part of your marriage is not hard…but it can make a real difference…for time and for eternity.