Devotionals by Dave and Ann Wilson
Marriage Is a Party (Tip: You’re the Host)
By Justin Talbert
My wife and I recently attended a friend’s wedding. The officiant’s concluding words to the couple: “Welcome to the party!” To me, it sounded irreverent.
And I was dead wrong.
God is all about celebration. You can't get far in the Bible without reading about parties.
Throughout the Old Testament, celebration is etched into the annual planner. God commanded His people to gather for magnificent festivals, accompanied by food and music and dancing and singing and lights and worship.
In the New Testament, Jesus’ first miracle is to create wine. While He’s attending a party. Revelation concludes with a wedding supper. The Kingdom of heaven is itself a feast (Luke 15:23-24).
Why did God do this?
We worship God most by enjoying Him best. And celebration is the heart of worship.
The same principle applies to marriage. Our spouses feel most loved when they are most enjoyed.
It’s my belief—yeah, I’ll get a little weird here, that’s fine—Christian marriages should be the foremost party entities on the planet. (No, not colleges. Not teenage house parties. Definitely not the Oscars.)
How tragic that we’re allergic to this thought. I mean, c’mon. We each possess a covenantal union with the greatest person ever, right? Is it really that difficult to enjoy every facet of their awesomeness?
(Does your spouse feel enjoyed and celebrated by you?)
No, I’m not purporting that marriage is happy, happy, joy, joy all the time. Can I get an amen?
All I’m saying is that even despite the difficulties of marriage, shouldn’t the world see our God-ordained unions as ecosystems of celebratory bliss?
Celebration is core to our faith, and therefore our marriages.
Let’s make marriage a party by perpetually reveling in our better halves.
Ready to celebrate a milestone? Read “25 Anniversary Ideas for Couples.”
The Good Stuff: And all the people went up after [Zadok the priest], playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. (1 Kings 1:40)
Action Steps: Make a list (yes, right now) of 10 things about your spouse that are worthy of celebration. Your mission over the next week is to celebrate all of them. Don’t overcomplicate it. The goal is for your spouse to feel enjoyed and loved.
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About Dave and Ann Wilson
Dave and Ann have been married for more than 40 years and have spent the last 35 teaching and mentoring couples and parents across the country. They have been featured speakers at FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember® since 1993, and have also hosted their own marriage conferences across the country.
Dave and Ann helped plant Kensington Community Church in Detroit, Michigan where they served together in ministry for more than three decades, wrapping up their time at Kensington in 2020.
The Wilsons are the creative force behind DVD teaching series Rock Your Marriage and The Survival Guide To Parenting, as well as authors of the recently released books Vertical Marriage (Zondervan, 2019) and No Perfect Parents (Zondervan, 2021).
Dave is a graduate of the International School of Theology, where he received a Master of Divinity degree. A Ball State University Hall of Fame Quarterback, Dave served the Detroit Lions as Chaplain for thirty-three years. Ann attended the University of Kentucky. She has been active with Dave in ministry as a speaker, writer, small group leader, and mentor to countless women.
The Wilsons live in the Detroit area. They have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody, three daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren.
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