Prayers for Couples by John Wesley

From The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America, 1784

A Prayer for a Couple About to Marry

“O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless these Your servants.
Sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts,
so that whatever they learn in Your Holy Word they will profit from it,
and bring their learning to fulfillment by their deeds.
Look, O Lord, mercifully on them from heaven. Bless this couple.
As You sent Your blessing on Abraham and Sarah to their great comfort,
so send Your blessing on these Your servants.
Help them to obey Your will and always live in safety under Your protection.
May this pair live in Your love to the end of their days.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.”

A Prayer for Married Couples

“O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all people, Giver of spiritual grace, and
Author of everlasting life, thank you for sending Your blessing to us Your servants.
You have blessed our marriage in Your Name.
As Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so You have given us grace to honor our vows.
Keep us always in perfect love and peace together, living according to Your laws.
We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

These prayers are found on pages 424-425 in Wesley’s Daily Prayers: Prayers for Every Day in the Year, compiled and edited by Donald E. Demaray (Bristol House, 1998).