Water of the Word
Water of the Word is a collection of nearly 250 prayers, weaved from Scripture, put together to be prayed specifically by a husband concerning his wife. And if you’re someone who has been given the particular privilege and responsibility of being a husband, then I don’t know why you wouldn’t want it by your side. It’s a gem.
Reviewing a book like this is, on the one hand, a little strange. That’s because essentially it’s a book rammed–full of Scripture. As the author (or should that be editor) Andrew Case says, “if you like the Bible, you’ll like this book”. Fill it with the word of God and you can’t really go wrong!
On the other hand, I still want to publicly ‘review’ this book because it’s so excellent and so helpful. Case knows that it is easy to be a sleepy and lazy pray–er, and thus a sleepy and lazy pray–er for one’s wife. But he was inspired by George Mueller’s commendation to “pray Scripture” and so began to read the Bible seeking to pray it back to his heavenly Father about his wife. As a result, each page consists of one prayer, perhaps six or seven sentences long, and each rooted in a passage of the Bible. Case’s wording is deep and fresh, but the result is simple and brilliant.
Case writes in his preface that husbands have a model for such prayer in Jesus’ constant intercession for his bride, his people. So for husbands to love their wives “as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25) will involve praying for them. The title then comes from Ephesians 5:26, where Jesus is described as making his bride holy by “the washing of water with the Word”. Scripture is part of our God–given means by which we seek our wives’ spiritual well–being. And Scripture + Prayer = this book.
I’ve by no means used every page yet, but I’ve found Water of the Word to be a great aid to my own faltering prayer. Like the popular book, Valley of Vision, it’s just very helpful to be given good words to pray. And in this case all these ‘good’ words are essentially lifted straight from Scripture. So, very good! In particular, I’ve appreciated both the call of this book to not neglect praying for my own wife, but also its support in actually giving those prayers some substance.
As a husband learns to pray for his wife, he is acknowledging that ultimately his wife’s needs are bigger than anything he can meet, and vice–versa. What every person needs most is God, and so what better thing is there than to pray to God for someone. As such I’ll finish off with these words from Case:
Of what good is it to do everything for your wife but the best thing? To bring all kinds of earthly goods before her for substance and honour is commendable, but to what end if you do not bring her before God? Will lifting up her by words of kindness and compliment suffice if you fail to lift her up before her Creator with supplications and thanksgivings? Why should you praise her for her beauty when you omit to exalt her Father for such matchless handiwork? You are not enough for her. Your strength is not strong enough for her. You are powerless to change her heart. Therefore pray.
Robin Ham
Water of the Word
I’m not one of those 6am heroes who can emerge from their bed, open their Bible and immediately understand all mysteries and knowledge.
Neither do my prayers at those times roll out in angelic prose. Don’t get me wrong – I recognise the importance of beginning the day in such a way and by God’s grace emerge from my slumbers and stumble and stutter through my prayers and Bible reading.
Often my reading is very ordinary and I trust God is doing more than I could ask or imagine, then to prayer, picking up some simple thoughts from my reading and praying for others. But what to pray? As a husband, I recognise the calling I have to intercede for my wife. But in the early hours, as I consider her, my mind wanders to her day ahead with our two–year–old, the words ‘grace’ and ‘patience’ spring to mind in my scrambled brain and then… Andrew Case has come to my help in these moments of dullness by pointing me to the grandeur of God’s plans in his Word and, by example, calling me to pray those things for my wife. He has produced a collection of Scripture–saturated prayers designed to help husbands pray for their wives consistently and biblically.
The author is not doing our work for us, writing the prayers so we don’t have to really pray, but instead calling us to make these prayers our own prayers for our wives. It has helped me to lift my prayers for my wife beyond the immediate to the great promises of the gospel, that the gospel in seed and shoot might flourish and blossom within her until that great day. And such vistas have on more than one occasion kindled the embers in my heart and caused me to pray, ‘may that be true for me also, Lord.’
Perhaps I’m the only Christian husband who needs such a friend. But I rather imagine in years to come that older Christian men with godly intentions will get alongside their younger Christian brothers and ask, ‘how is your prayer life for your wife?’ and in the next couple of sentences Case’s book will be mentioned. Husband, ask that question of yourself, get your copy now and pray.
Matthew Benton, pastor in training, Emmanuel Church, Leamington Spa
Water of the Word
These prayers are accessible, theocentric and lyrical.
By accessible I mean that even if you are a young Christian, either young in age or in your walk with Jesus you can get stuck in. In fact if you are a husband just starting in your married life, I cannot think of a better habit to nurture, in the beginning of your marriage. Think of it as a secret heavenly gift for your wife everyday.
By theocentric I mean the prayers are very much God centred. Although the prayers might be for your wife, they are not about her as much as about the God of Heaven and Earth who loves her (even more than you!). Through this book, you will again see how great God is. We can have confidence in what we pray because after all, we are quoting God’s words back to him. Praise be to God that He always keeps his word and his promises. All the more reason for us, I would argue, to pray them.
By lyrical, I mean the prayers are not just dry text. Maybe it’s just me, but I found many of prayers, akin to poetry at times, and a pleasure to read, a joy to the eye and a song to the heart. Remember though, these are not mini–sermons but prayers. Hopefully, though, for all of us, it will drive us back to our Bible, to see and appreciate the context of what we are praying. Therefore, these are a supplement to our Bible reading and not in place of it!
Sun Park
Water of the Word
We could be praying more faithfully for our wives. Seriously. If, like me, this has been a neglected area of your prayer life this book is both a much needed wake up call and a helpful guide.
The format is a series of biblical passages turned “more or less” (p.4) into prayers. Like the meditations in another favourite of mine, Joe Thorn’s “Note to Self”, these prayers are most helpful when not simply read through. Rather meditate on them and let the Holy Spirit guide your thoughts towards your own wife and her situation. It’s a fantastically helpful way to pray.
This is a great book, both the preface and introduction and full of encouragement and challenge. The prayers themselves will fuel your own prayers for your wife!
Tom Webster – www.iamtom.org
Water of the Word
After initially not being sure about this book I now absolutely love it and am totally convinced by the concept of it.
It provides you with prayers saturated by the Bible to pray for your wife that you take, personalise to your circumstance, and so make your own. Because you take the prayers and make your own this is still a very helpful book even if your wife is not a believer yet.
This book is an incredibly useful/essential tool to help me do something that I was previously rubbish at!
Nick Brake
Water of the Word
Andrew Case has given to every husband an invaluable resource to wake them up, shape them up and wise them up about the key discipline of praying for their wives. In the opening pages he exhorts and challenges the reader about the lacklustre approach we have to prayer bringing us to repentance. Then writes page after page of beautiful, Scripture saturated, heart–enlarging prayers to inspire us to pray fervently for our beloved, filling our mouths with earnest petitions.
These prayers are not prescriptive mantras but model, awe–inspiring supplications to God that He would be near, gracious and all sufficient in the lives of our nearest and dearest. These prayers are full of God, bursting with His promises and are real dynamite ready to explode the prayer lives of so many of us half–hearted men.
This book is meaty, the prayers are rich, deep and breathtaking, here are some of the lines that stuck with me, ‘Grant her continual patience and forbearance to live with me, a wicked husband.’ (p.11) ‘Let her exult in glory; let her sing for joy on her bed. Let Your praises be in her throat and Your word in her hands.’ (p.83) ‘And who is like my beautiful wife? I praise You that she is Your child, one of the women on earth whom You went to redeem to be Your daughter, making Yourself a name and doing for her great and awesome things. You established her for Yourself to be Yours forever. And You, O Lord, became her God.’
Interspersed between the prayers there are some great quotes from heroes of the faith to cheer us along the path of meaningful, perpetual engagement in praying for our wives.
This book is a must have for any Christian husband; it should be a staple on every wedding gift list and a constant companion in the quiet place of personal devotion. God, through Andrew Case has given to the church a stunning resource to bring us to our knees in powerful and effective intercession that our wives might flourish in God’s goodness and grace. Buy this book, devour this book, learn from this book, pray this book and then buy a copy for someone else. Text excerpts from this book to your wife often.
Jonathan Gemmell – Pastor of Bruntsfield Evangelical Church
Water of the Word
The concept of this book is really quite simple–and very helpful: a weaving together of biblical passages turned into prayers for one’s wife… a great idea and a most helpful and welcome book!
Justin Taylor – The Gospel Coalition
