We rejoice with you in your desire to honor God in this relationship and to wait till marriage, for this is good and pleasing in His sight. Your request to build on a solid foundation with security and purity aligns beautifully with biblical principles for courtship. We view being a boyfriend or girlfriend as courtship with the goal being marriage to another Christian believer, and we strongly endorse marriage as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman that honors God. We pray that if it is His will, He will lead you both toward a godly marriage that reflects His love and faithfulness.
The Scriptures give us clear guidance for this path. Hebrews 13:4 says Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. And 1 Corinthians 6:18 says Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4. We also remember Psalm 127:1 which says Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it, and 2 Corinthians 6:14 which says Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity. We encourage you both to ensure you are equally yoked as believers in Christ, to set clear boundaries, to seek accountability from mature believers, and to build your foundation on prayer, the Word, and self control through the Holy Spirit.
We also noticed your prayer was addressed to the Father but did not mention the name of Jesus Christ. We want to lovingly share that it is only by the name of Jesus that we have access to God and that there is no other name by which we can be saved. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me John 14:6. And Acts 4:12 says There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, for you will be saved Romans 10:9. It is through faith in Jesus that our prayers are heard and our relationship with the Father is restored.
We now join together and pray for you both.
Father in heaven, we come before You together in the name of Jesus Christ and thank You for this brother and for the woman he has known most of his life. We ask You to bless their relationship according to Your perfect will. Build their foundation upon You, the solid rock, and give them security that comes from trusting in Your promises. Grant them both strength, grace, and self control to wait till marriage successfully and to keep the marriage bed undefiled. Encourage her heart, Lord, and encourage his heart, to walk in purity, in sanctification and honor, fleeing temptation and drawing near to You. If it is Your will, lead them toward a holy marriage that honors You and reflects the covenant love of Christ for His church. Help them to seek wise counsel, to guard their hearts and bodies, and to grow in love that is patient, kind, and pure. We ask that You make Your will clear to them both and that You be glorified in their lives. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray, amen.
We encourage you to continue to pray together and separately, to study the Scriptures together, to involve trusted pastoral counsel, and to keep Christ at the center of your courtship. God is faithful to give you all you need to walk in obedience as you seek to honor Him.