I am a big advocate of formal blessings that are prayed and repeated on a regular basis. If used right, they can help keep us centered and serve as a constant reminder of God's love and provision for us.
I taught a Christian Marriage and Family class at my previous church, and we started every class by reciting the blessing above together. I even printed out cards for everyone in the class with the blessing. After a couple of weeks, most people in the class knew the blessing by heart.
However, the more important result was the comments I got from various members of the class after a couple of months. After repeating the blessing each Sunday, and after seeing the card with the blessing on it stuck to the bathroom mirror, or on the refrigerator, or in the car, or in a purse or wallet each day, people began to act differently toward their mates. For most it was not huge changes. Instead it was smaller considerations; being more thoughtful, more respectful, more aware of how their marriages blessed their lives, and recognizing God's presence in their marriage relationship.
I would challenge you to either print off and cut out the marriage blessing above, or, if you'd rather be more personal, pray about it with your spouse or with your faith community and come up with a marriage blessing of your own. Let it be something that reflects the God-given blessings of covenant marriage. Let it be something that reminds you to be a blessing to your spouse, to recognize your spouse for the blessing that he/she is to you, and something that prompts you to think and act in a way that honors God by honoring and protecting your marriage union. Whether you use the blessing above, find one from another source, or come up with your own, recite it regularly with your mate, and let God work in you and your spouse's lives for each other and to glorify him.
(Just in case you are viewing this on a device that didn't load the image above, here is the blessing again)
MARRIAGE BLESSING
Lord, bless me to love my spouse as you love me. Let my love for my spouse be a reflection of my love for you. Help me to always serve and forgive, persevere and protect. Let me be a blessing to my marriage and ever blessed by my marriage. Keep me away from anything that would tempt me to dishonor my marriage covenant. We ask this blessing by the power of the divine name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
