Matthew 5:32
“but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
This is a difficult issue. If we were to treat divorce by this verse alone, their would be much adultery. Scripture has some difficult issues. Another one for me in my young christian days was healing. Jesus’ words seem to say that if we believe then we should be healed. But we see many strong of faith that weren’t, Paul being one. In fact God made it clear that Paul was to keep his infirmity.
Divorce wasn’t in God’s plan. However Matthew 19:8 says, ‘Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning.”‘ An allowance was made. In I Corinthians 7 Paul speaks of when it’s appropriate to get divorced. Verse 15 says, “Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.”
Another legitimate issue I’ve heard was abuse. This can include much: physical and emotional abuse. Drugs and alcohol fit under that category.
I have a friend whose wife was an alcoholic. This led her to be emotionally abusive. After much work and chances he divorced her. I think it was right. At the time I had difficulty with it. On this side of things it was right. The end of that last verse says, “God has called us in peace”. His life with her was chaos. His life was disrupted, his children’s lives were disrupted, his parents stayed away. She was a tornado who wrought disorder.
Culturally divorce used to be difficult and frowned upon. It’s not anymore. That’s a shame. Yes, I know it’s difficult enough. It’s one of life’s great stressors. Marriage can be difficult. We are to sacrifice and therefore become better in it. Having children is also difficult, but it makes us even better with our sacrifice.
Matthew 16:24 says, ‘Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”‘ Being a christian requires that we deny ourselves. Marriage is God’s institution. It also requires sacrifice. If we do it we are blessed.
Marriage and having children is a great blessing. I didn’t understand this until it happened. Not to say I saw it instantly. It was just the natural course of things. About 15 years into it I got it. It was God’s design and His will is blessed.
God will go a long way to help a marriage if He is asked. To get His help we need to be His child. If so, He fills us with His Spirit and works His way in us. If we call on Him, He will help. If our spouse is a believer, that is better. It can still work if not. Unfortunately that’s being unequally yoked. But prayer can change hearts. Marriage provides the helpmate spoken of Genesis. It’s meant to be a blessing.
Lord, thank You for marriage. Thank You so much for may wife. You have blessed our lives.