Praying with their wives is one of the last things some men do. Why? Perhaps it's because prayer places them in a position of dependence upon God and husbands may not want their wives to see them in a dependent situation. Yet my wife says this about us praying together: "I feel closer to you when we pray together, Duane, than at any other time. For me, praying together is the most intimate thing we do."

Kneeling beside the bed, holding hands, lifting up our praise and requests, and entering into God's presence may indeed be the most intimate thing any of us ever does with our spouse. It is part of God's design, because spiritual intimacy is another vital part of marriage. When a couple's body, soul, and spirit are in harmony with one another and with their Creator, physical intimacy becomes reminiscent of Paradise, and love returns to Eden.