“An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. The heart of her husband trusts in her [with secure confidence], and he will have no lack of gain. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil all the days of her life” (Prov. 31:10-12 AMP).
October is Clergy Appreciation Month and I really hope that, despite the global challenges we’re dealing with, you and your husband are loved on and shown appreciation for all that you do for the King and His Kingdom, especially by those you currently serve.
One of the ways that I show appreciation for my pastor/husband year-round is by praying with him and for him. Wives know better than anyone else the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of her husband. When we pray for them the Lord prays with us and through us. He truly knows the heart of the man we married.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27).
Remember the song many of us learned as children, “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes”. If not, here’s a brief refresher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZanHgPprl-0
I use the same template when praying for my husband. You can, too.
Head: Pray over your husband’s mind, his thought life, that he would have the mind of Christ.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Php. 4:8).
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My way,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9).
Shoulders: Pray for the burdens your husband bears, those spoken and unspoken, allowing the Holy Spirit to direct and guide your prayers.
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
Knees: As you pray for your spouse, remember to pray over his prayer life/spiritual life. Ministry is not merely a job but a calling. Pray that he keeps tightly connected to the Source of his strength.
“…Men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Lk. 18:1)
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Pet. 1:10).
Toes: Pray over his walk before God.
“…Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…” (Eph. 4:1).
“…Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10).
“…Walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th. 2:12).
Eyes: Pray that God would always give him clear, spiritual vision; that your husband would see with divine clarity.
“And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17a).
“I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes…” (Ps. 101:2-3a).
Ears: Pray over your husband’s spiritual ears, that he would hear and obey the voice of the Lord.
“Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears” (1 Sam. 3:9).
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).
Mouth: Pray over your husband’s heart, speech, conversation, and words used.
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:34-36).
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Nose: Whatever is your husband’s favorite fragrance to wear, let’s pray that his life before God rises as a sweet and pleasing incense.
“But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God…” (2 Cor. 2:14-15a NLT).
This prayer template never gets old. Use it to pray over your husband, yourself, your family members, etc. Pray by name and by need. Just pray. Your husband will be the better for it.
(Unless noted, all Scriptures are from the New King James Version Bible.)