The Years We Have Left: A Reflection on Marriage and God’s Faithfulness

After more than 46 years of marriage to Leisa, I find myself thinking more about the importance of time, love, and the covenant we made before God.

When we married in March of 1980, we had dreams and plans for the future. We could never have imagined all that life would bring—the blessings, the challenges, the laughter, and the heartbreak.

Through it all, God has been faithful.

Looking back, I realize how much of my life has been spent working, solving problems, providing, and trying to fulfill responsibilities. Those things matter, but I sometimes wonder whether I have given enough attention to what matters most.

There is a difference between providing for someone and making certain they feel loved.

Ephesians 5:25 tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.

That is a powerful responsibility. It requires more than good intentions. It requires patience, humility, forgiveness, sacrifice, and being present.

As we grow older, I am becoming increasingly aware that time is a gift we should never take for granted.

We cannot recover yesterday, and we are not promised tomorrow. But we can choose how we love one another today.

I cannot change the times I should have listened more carefully, spoken more gently, or shown greater patience. But by God’s grace, I can continue learning to become a better husband.

Marriage is not simply about how many years we remain together. It is about how faithfully we love, encourage, forgive, and care for one another throughout those years.

I am grateful for the life Leisa and I have shared, for the memories we treasure, and for God’s grace through every season.

I don’t know how many years we have left together, but I want to use them well.

I want to worry less about what remains unfinished and appreciate more of what God has already given us.

I want to love more intentionally, listen more carefully, forgive more freely, and keep Christ at the center of our marriage.

Because when our earthly journey is finished, what will matter most is not everything we accomplished, but how faithfully we loved God and the people He entrusted to us.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 (NKJV)

My prayer: Lord, thank You for the years You have given us. Forgive me for the times I have allowed life’s responsibilities to overshadow the relationships that matter most. Teach me to love with greater patience, humility, and kindness. Help us treasure each day together and honor You in the years we have left. In Jesus’ name, Amen.