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Devotions for a Sacred Marriage: A Year of Weekly Devotions for Couples
What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? By popular demand, the author of Sacred Marriage returns to the topic of how God uses marriage to expand our souls and make us holy. With all new material, Devotions for a Sacred Marriage explores how God can reveal himself to you through your marriage and help you grow closer to him as well as to your spouse. Fifty-two devotions encourage you to build your marriage around God’s priorities. From learning to live with a fellow sinner, to the process of two becoming one, to sharing our lives as brothers and sisters in Christ, Devotions for a Sacred Marriage challenges couples to embrace the profound and soul-stretching reality of Christian marriage.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2005
376 people are currently reading
734 people want to read
About the author
Gary L. Thomas
61 books644 followersGary Thomas is a bestselling author and international speaker whose ministry brings people closer to Christ and closer to others. He unites the study of Scripture, church history, and the Christian classics to foster spiritual growth and deeper relationships within the Christian community.
Gary is the author of 20 books, including "Sacred Marriage" and "Cherish", that together have sold over two million copies, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and won numerous awards . His writings have established him as a thought-leader in the areas of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation.
Gary holds a B.A. in English Literature from Western Washington University, an MA degree in systematic theology from Regent College (Vancouver, BC), and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Western Seminary (Portland, OR).
He serves on the teaching team (and as Writer in Residence) at Second Baptist Church, Houston—a congregation with six campuses and 70,000 members—and is an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston Texas.
Gary’s speaking ministry has led him to speak in 49 states and nine different countries, and on numerous national television and radio programs, including multiple appearances on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today. Gary’s interviews on Focus on the Family have been chosen among the “Best of 2013,” “Best of 2014” and “Best of 2017.” Gary is a lifelong advocate of using the Christian classics to bring people closer to Christ.
Gary enjoys running in his spare time and has completed 14 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 35 years and they have three adult children and the smartest, cutest, most adorable granddaughter on the planet.
Gary Thomas – Bringing people closer to Christ and closer to others.
Gary is the author of 20 books, including "Sacred Marriage" and "Cherish", that together have sold over two million copies, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and won numerous awards . His writings have established him as a thought-leader in the areas of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation.
Gary holds a B.A. in English Literature from Western Washington University, an MA degree in systematic theology from Regent College (Vancouver, BC), and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Western Seminary (Portland, OR).
He serves on the teaching team (and as Writer in Residence) at Second Baptist Church, Houston—a congregation with six campuses and 70,000 members—and is an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston Texas.
Gary’s speaking ministry has led him to speak in 49 states and nine different countries, and on numerous national television and radio programs, including multiple appearances on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today. Gary’s interviews on Focus on the Family have been chosen among the “Best of 2013,” “Best of 2014” and “Best of 2017.” Gary is a lifelong advocate of using the Christian classics to bring people closer to Christ.
Gary enjoys running in his spare time and has completed 14 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 35 years and they have three adult children and the smartest, cutest, most adorable granddaughter on the planet.
Gary Thomas – Bringing people closer to Christ and closer to others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 16, 2018
Took us FOUR years to read, but the upside is that now we're excited to start back at the beginning.
September 28, 2022
Me and my husband took turns reading this one out loud to each other and absolutely loved it! Every now and then there was a weird analogy or devotion but, overall we loved it and how encouraging it was. I would highly recommend this to any married couple! This would also be a great wedding gift!
We would like to do this devotional together each year!
We would like to do this devotional together each year!
July 2, 2025
Took us a little longer than a year but loved reading aloud with my wonderful wife. And now looking forward to jumping back into in due time. Fantastic and detailed but still quick marriage devotions for God fearing couples!
February 6, 2025
It was great to do this devotional as a couple every AM. Some entries were a bit repetitive, but overall, a good resource! Would recommend to newlyweds and people who have been married for a while.
May 12, 2020
Me and my husband, we started off really well and enjoying the reading and having good conversations after each chapter, but something, at some point went down the hill... I don`t know why but halfway through it it became really hard to continue... it took us 4 years to finish reading it!
I still give it 4 stars because it was really good in the beginning, and it helped a lot in our first years of marriage.
I still give it 4 stars because it was really good in the beginning, and it helped a lot in our first years of marriage.
March 2, 2016
Good stuff! Gave a ton of stuff to think about regarding how your marriage relationship is/can be/needs to be influenced by Jesus. The devos weren't redundant week to week, which is impressive considering he was talking about the same topic the entire time. Totally worth going through again.
December 21, 2020
Devin and I read this together and loved it!
May 22, 2017
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by BookLook/Zondervan. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
It is frequently my lot to read devotionals [1], and frequently it is the case that the devotional genre encourages superficial bromides with scriptures taken out of context. That is not a problem for this book, which manages to follow a fairly conventional 52-chapter structure but that hits hard even with its conventional structure. Like many devotionals, it begins with scripture and includes a great deal of personal discussion, but it rises above its peers in presenting its target audience of readers--Christian spouses struggling with their own and their spouse's flawed and fallen human natures--with a forthright and uncompromising challenge. To be sure, as an unmarried gentleman I am not the ideal audience for this book, but all the same, this book crystallizes many of my own concerns with spiritual growth that inform my own thoughts about marriage as a whole as well as the particular marriages and their ruins I observe on a regular basis in my own complicated life.
Over and over again the author uses his own personal experience and his own struggles to love and appreciate his wife and to be a godly husband as a way to encourage the reader to use their marital struggles as a mirror with which to examine their own personal shortcomings and areas for growth, and as reminders that their motivation to love and honor and encourage their spouses has fallen to unacceptable levels. Consistently, the discussion of the author is evenhanded, showing how it is our tendency to be hypocritical and excuse ourselves of our own failings while condemning others for theirs. To be sure, this is not a tendency known only by married people--I recognize and struggle against this same tendency within myself--but marriage is a particularly fruitful field for painful and unpleasant spiritual development. The author manages the difficult task of both pointing out the extreme seriousness and immense difficulty of marriage as well as the expectation that it will generally be the state of adult believers who are being sculpted and refined into the image and likeness of God, a process that comes with a great deal of pain and unpleasant reminders of how far we have to go along in that process.
Whether or not the reader appreciates this book and its approach will depend on the extent to which he or she is willing to engage in the painful but profitable task of self-reflection and repentance. This book is a hard sell, a mirror into the dark and corrupt heart of people who regularly engage in justification and selectively harsh condemnation, namely ourselves. Yet the best books, and the most worthwhile books, to Christian audiences are not those books that pander to our nature but those which challenge us to engage in the reflection that leads us to repent of our corrupt ways and seek to follow God's ways, not only in terms of our moral conduct towards God but also our graciousness and mercy towards those sinners we happen to be married to, if we are fortunate enough to be in that challenging state. I found this book to be a profitable if painful read that cost me a fair bit of sleep after finishing it, and that will likely be the experience for many others. Even so, as the author points out consistently, holiness is a higher goal than happiness, and ultimate happiness can only be found in holiness, a reminder that all of us would do well to remember and apply in our own lives, as difficult as that may be.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
It is frequently my lot to read devotionals [1], and frequently it is the case that the devotional genre encourages superficial bromides with scriptures taken out of context. That is not a problem for this book, which manages to follow a fairly conventional 52-chapter structure but that hits hard even with its conventional structure. Like many devotionals, it begins with scripture and includes a great deal of personal discussion, but it rises above its peers in presenting its target audience of readers--Christian spouses struggling with their own and their spouse's flawed and fallen human natures--with a forthright and uncompromising challenge. To be sure, as an unmarried gentleman I am not the ideal audience for this book, but all the same, this book crystallizes many of my own concerns with spiritual growth that inform my own thoughts about marriage as a whole as well as the particular marriages and their ruins I observe on a regular basis in my own complicated life.
Over and over again the author uses his own personal experience and his own struggles to love and appreciate his wife and to be a godly husband as a way to encourage the reader to use their marital struggles as a mirror with which to examine their own personal shortcomings and areas for growth, and as reminders that their motivation to love and honor and encourage their spouses has fallen to unacceptable levels. Consistently, the discussion of the author is evenhanded, showing how it is our tendency to be hypocritical and excuse ourselves of our own failings while condemning others for theirs. To be sure, this is not a tendency known only by married people--I recognize and struggle against this same tendency within myself--but marriage is a particularly fruitful field for painful and unpleasant spiritual development. The author manages the difficult task of both pointing out the extreme seriousness and immense difficulty of marriage as well as the expectation that it will generally be the state of adult believers who are being sculpted and refined into the image and likeness of God, a process that comes with a great deal of pain and unpleasant reminders of how far we have to go along in that process.
Whether or not the reader appreciates this book and its approach will depend on the extent to which he or she is willing to engage in the painful but profitable task of self-reflection and repentance. This book is a hard sell, a mirror into the dark and corrupt heart of people who regularly engage in justification and selectively harsh condemnation, namely ourselves. Yet the best books, and the most worthwhile books, to Christian audiences are not those books that pander to our nature but those which challenge us to engage in the reflection that leads us to repent of our corrupt ways and seek to follow God's ways, not only in terms of our moral conduct towards God but also our graciousness and mercy towards those sinners we happen to be married to, if we are fortunate enough to be in that challenging state. I found this book to be a profitable if painful read that cost me a fair bit of sleep after finishing it, and that will likely be the experience for many others. Even so, as the author points out consistently, holiness is a higher goal than happiness, and ultimate happiness can only be found in holiness, a reminder that all of us would do well to remember and apply in our own lives, as difficult as that may be.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
March 9, 2024
Devotions for a Sacred Marriage by Gary L. Thomas
I have read several books on marriage and recommend only two: For me, this book is second only to Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage. My wife and I have never read Sacred Marriage, but I like how this book's rating is higher. I disagree with the author that couples should only read one devotional a week; my wife and I did this almost every night, reading the devotional and discussing before prayer. Perhaps your context is too busy to make that happen, or you've developed many issues that the chapters will bring up (like you need a week to discuss it), but I found almost every chapter to be a good Gospel-affirming conversation starter. I encourage you to being the book early in your marriages and then return to it later. We filled our pages with highlights.
A daily challenge: “'How can I love my spouse today like he [or she] has never been or ever will be loved?' We're not called to judge our spouses—ever; we are called to love them. We are not called to recount their failures in a Pharisaic game of “I'm holier than you”; we're called to encourage them. We are not called to build a case against them regarding how far they fall short of the glory of God; we are called to honor and respect them" (p. 15, 17).
"It's simply not fair to ask your spouse to fulfill you. No one can. If you expect your spouse to be God for you, your spouse will fail every day and on every account" (pg. 34).
"(Marriage) is a holy road that can lead us toward God...The difficulty of marriage is both its challenge and its glory" (p. 117).
"As believers filled with God's Holy Spirit, we can choose to be kind. We can choose to be patient. We can choose to be gentle. But when virtue becomes a stranger, any relationship will begin to sour" (p. 148).
I have read several books on marriage and recommend only two: For me, this book is second only to Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage. My wife and I have never read Sacred Marriage, but I like how this book's rating is higher. I disagree with the author that couples should only read one devotional a week; my wife and I did this almost every night, reading the devotional and discussing before prayer. Perhaps your context is too busy to make that happen, or you've developed many issues that the chapters will bring up (like you need a week to discuss it), but I found almost every chapter to be a good Gospel-affirming conversation starter. I encourage you to being the book early in your marriages and then return to it later. We filled our pages with highlights.
A daily challenge: “'How can I love my spouse today like he [or she] has never been or ever will be loved?' We're not called to judge our spouses—ever; we are called to love them. We are not called to recount their failures in a Pharisaic game of “I'm holier than you”; we're called to encourage them. We are not called to build a case against them regarding how far they fall short of the glory of God; we are called to honor and respect them" (p. 15, 17).
"It's simply not fair to ask your spouse to fulfill you. No one can. If you expect your spouse to be God for you, your spouse will fail every day and on every account" (pg. 34).
"(Marriage) is a holy road that can lead us toward God...The difficulty of marriage is both its challenge and its glory" (p. 117).
"As believers filled with God's Holy Spirit, we can choose to be kind. We can choose to be patient. We can choose to be gentle. But when virtue becomes a stranger, any relationship will begin to sour" (p. 148).
May 24, 2017
What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? By popular demand the author of Sacred Marriage returns to the topic of how God uses marriage to expand our souls and make us holy. Devotions for a Sacred Marriage explores how God can reveal Himself to you through your marriage and help you grow closer to Him as well as to your spouse. Fifty-two weekly devotions encourage couples to build a marriage around God’s priorities. From learning to live with a fellow sinner, to the process of two becoming one, to sharing lives as brothers and sisters in Christ, Devotions for a Sacred Marriage will continue to challenge couples to embrace the profound and soul-stretching reality of Christian marriage.
Done together with your spouse, this could be an enlightening and encouraging book. Done alone, it takes on more of a 'lie in the bed you made' tone. Which is not to say that it's a bad book, just that it's definitely more of a couple activity. I do wish that it had some discussion questions or follow-ups for each devotion, for if the couple wants to take it a bit further. One thing I like about this is that it's weekly, rather than daily, so it's not overwhelming.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Done together with your spouse, this could be an enlightening and encouraging book. Done alone, it takes on more of a 'lie in the bed you made' tone. Which is not to say that it's a bad book, just that it's definitely more of a couple activity. I do wish that it had some discussion questions or follow-ups for each devotion, for if the couple wants to take it a bit further. One thing I like about this is that it's weekly, rather than daily, so it's not overwhelming.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2018
I loved the original book that this stems from. It was one of the best Christian books I have ever read and the content really stuck with me. I was moved by it. I read it three times! In fairness, my husband did not like it at all. I found it intriguing and it really made me question how I view marriage and how I view myself within our family. Many times, when things are bothering me at home, I recall from that book that doing mindless tasks like cleaning up after the kids is actually a way that I am being a servant to the Lord. I am also reminded from time to time that it is CRUCIAL to honor my husband.
Needless to say, I expected this book to be equally good. I expected it to challenge me and make me a better wife and mom. I wanted to feel those "Aha!" moments that I had with the first book. I simply have not gotten much of anything from this one.
It asks the reader to pray about specific things but they seem generic. The writing doesn't move me. It doesn't challenge me to do better. It doesn't make me understand marriage from a Biblical perspective any clearer. It is just kind of "blah."
Needless to say, I expected this book to be equally good. I expected it to challenge me and make me a better wife and mom. I wanted to feel those "Aha!" moments that I had with the first book. I simply have not gotten much of anything from this one.
It asks the reader to pray about specific things but they seem generic. The writing doesn't move me. It doesn't challenge me to do better. It doesn't make me understand marriage from a Biblical perspective any clearer. It is just kind of "blah."
September 28, 2019
Took us about 6 years to read this book. If you don't want to save your marriage, don't read this book.
What if you just loved the person that was right in front of you to love. Would that matter to God? It is the only thing that matters to God. How we treat the people closest to us is the measure of all other authenticities. How can we love God whom we cannot see, and hate our brother and sister ( by extension e.t.c) whom we cannot see? The most searching verse in all scripture. Don't get dissed. There is some amazing stuff coming out of the states. I don't think holiness is specifically practising the virtues but Gary wrote an excellent book about that called "Not the end but the road". Thanks Gary!
What if you just loved the person that was right in front of you to love. Would that matter to God? It is the only thing that matters to God. How we treat the people closest to us is the measure of all other authenticities. How can we love God whom we cannot see, and hate our brother and sister ( by extension e.t.c) whom we cannot see? The most searching verse in all scripture. Don't get dissed. There is some amazing stuff coming out of the states. I don't think holiness is specifically practising the virtues but Gary wrote an excellent book about that called "Not the end but the road". Thanks Gary!
February 1, 2019
I think I enjoyed this book of devotions more than the book on which they are based. Quick readings, punchy lessons, clear visuals. This book was challenging and inspirational.
Takeaway: marriage was created by God to make us holy more than to make us happy.
Favorite line: "Seasons of struggle are not the time to evaluate your marriage; they are the time to evaluate yourself." (p. 128)
That can apply to your marriage, your work, your dreams, etc.
Takeaway: marriage was created by God to make us holy more than to make us happy.
Favorite line: "Seasons of struggle are not the time to evaluate your marriage; they are the time to evaluate yourself." (p. 128)
That can apply to your marriage, your work, your dreams, etc.
March 7, 2020
We really enjoyed this. Daily devotions in marriage has always been a challenge for us. This book is a once a week commitment and it’s always on point. We really enjoyed his sacred marriage book, and grew a lot in our relationship, understanding that marriage is about God and His holiness and not our happiness (although happy marriages are a result of His goodness!).
December 12, 2023
sad to see it end
Hubs and I read this together every morning, and we were sad to see it end. Gary’s stories about his own trials with Lisa were refreshingly honest. To the core, every topic was presented with truth straight from scripture. It was our daily reminder that we are on the same team with the same end in sight.
Hubs and I read this together every morning, and we were sad to see it end. Gary’s stories about his own trials with Lisa were refreshingly honest. To the core, every topic was presented with truth straight from scripture. It was our daily reminder that we are on the same team with the same end in sight.
February 17, 2018
I really like how the devotions put the book into practice!
February 27, 2018
Worth reading.
August 29, 2018
Challenging biblical reflections on marriage, but no discussion questions for couples to engage one another.
September 19, 2018
Our Favorite Marriage Book
This book has been such a blessing for our marriage. It’s given us something to read together and ways to grow each week.
This book has been such a blessing for our marriage. It’s given us something to read together and ways to grow each week.
December 1, 2018
A lovely devotional with manageable-sized passages that highlight how precious your spouse is to God. A book for rekindling gratitude!
Read
January 2, 2020Great devotional for couples. It took us a little under 2 years to finish.
May 25, 2020
A great book to read as a couple together to refocus on the purpose and meaning of marriage.
September 4, 2020
A good personal devotion to keep a proper perspective on marriage.
Want to read
March 28, 2021Recommended Lauren Kay
April 22, 2021
A book I will read several times over. Beautiful Biblical reminders, & thought-provoking lessons on marriage. We need ‘em. We allllll need ‘em!
April 10, 2023
Practical, easy to follow principles.
September 13, 2023
It’s good but not that deep. We didn’t have a lot to discuss and personally didn’t find it that interesting. It wasn’t bad, just wasn’t the right fit for us.
June 3, 2024
Got A TON out of this book!
October 23, 2024
Our pastor Emmanuel gifted us this book so nice we visited for our pre marriage counseling
It’s very helpful
It’s very helpful
July 2, 2025
We loved this book! My husband & I took turns reading it out loud each week. Took us about a year & a half to get through but we loved all the stories & analogies. Would definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews