The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye, has spoken on how he balances marital romance with his spiritual duties.
Pastor Adeboye married Folu Adeboye on December 17, 1967 and the union is blessed with children and grandchildren.
The 82-year-old cleric, in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday, revealed the key to a long-lasting marriage and advised couples to prioritize intimacy and romance to nurture and sustain their relationships.
He said, “Have a nickname that you call each other behind closed doors. To this day, there is a nickname that my wife calls me when we are alone. I have a nickname that I call her, and every time I call her by that name, she can’t help but smile at me fondly.
“When we are alone, we are lovers, not daddy GOES and mommy GOES.” Your marriage can be like heaven on earth if you and your spouse make the decision to remain the lovebirds you were when you got married.
Don’t let romance die.”
Romance and Christianity
The second national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria also stressed that being a Christian does not preclude being romantic.
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Pastor Adeboye further stated that marriage is the only institution where romance and intimacy between a man and a woman is allowed and encouraged.
“Some pastors rarely go out with their wives because they consider such romantic activity a distraction from their focus on spiritual matters. Some of them don’t even play with their wives anymore.
“Beloved, the anointing does not reduce the need for romance in marriage.
Isaac was an anointed man of God and a successful businessman, but in Genesis 26:8, the Bible says that he was having an affair with his wife. Now when he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac with his wife and Rebekah.
There is no fun anywhere else
He also encouraged Christian couples to avoid being too rigid in their marriages, noting that true joy and companionship can only be found with one's spouse.
Furthermore, he noted that the time couples spend together is so enjoyable that they constantly look forward to being in each other's presence again.
“If you are married, remember how you used to talk for long hours with your spouse before you got married and had children; relive that relationship again. Your spouse is still the same man you loved so much, and the things you loved about him are still there. Don’t let all the worries of this life distract you from the jewels that are in your spouse.
“Once in a while, compose a poem for your spouse and read it in a romantic setting. Spice up the relationship with pleasant surprises from time to time. Write a note and put it in his/her bag so he/she will see it and smile when he/she gets to the office and opens the bag.”