7-day plan: Dating and Marriage
How the Bible speaks about choosing a partner, marrying, and caring for the love of two.
One passage a day, with a question to think it over. Your progress stays on this device, no account needed.
Day 1 · It Is Not Good to Be Alone
God sees the man is alone and makes someone who fits him
And YHWH Elohim said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make for him a helper corresponding to him.” And YHWH Elohim formed from the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called it, as a living being, that was its name. And the man gave names to all the livestock and to the birds of the sky and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper corresponding to him. And YHWH Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept; and he took one of his sides and closed up the flesh in its place. And YHWH Elohim built the side that he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. And the man said, “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called Woman, because from Man this one was taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Genesis 2:18–24 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
What friendship or relationship can you care for this week so you do not walk alone?
Day 2 · Choosing Well
Finding a wife is finding good and favor from YHWH
Whoever finds a wife finds good, and obtains favor from YHWH.
Proverbs 18:22 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Which word or phrase stays with you, and why?
Day 3 · Husbands and Wives
Paul holds up the Messiah's self-giving love as the husband's model
Husbands, love your wives just as also the Messiah loved the assembly and gave himself up for her, so that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he himself might present the assembly to himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any of such things, but that she might be holy and without blemish. So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as also the Messiah does the assembly, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking about the Messiah and about the assembly. Nevertheless, you also, each one of you let him love his own wife in this way, as himself; and the wife is to respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:25–33 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Paul invites us to give thanks always and to speak with psalms and songs (v. 19-20). What simple habit could help you do that?
Day 4 · Faithfulness
Marriage is to be honored and the marriage bed kept pure
Let marriage be honored among all, and the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
Hebrews 13:4 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
What does it invite you to do today, even something small?
Day 5 · Love in the Song of Songs
The daughters of Jerusalem are made to swear not to awaken love until it pleases
I make you swear, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, that you not awaken nor arouse love until it pleases.
Song of Songs 2:7 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Who could you share this with this week?
Day 6 · It Is Not Good to Be Alone
Male and female, both in God's image and blessed together
And Elohim created the human being in his image; in the image of Elohim he created him; male and female he created them. And Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every animal that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:27–28 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
How can you treat the people around you today, remembering that every one of them was created in the image of Elohim?
Day 7 · Choosing Well
A house is inherited, but a prudent wife comes from YHWH
House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but from YHWH comes a prudent wife.
Proverbs 19:14 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Looking back over the week, what changed in how you see this topic?