You probably know someone who’s divorced. Maybe an aunt or uncle, one of the leaders in your church, or your own parents. If so, I’m so very, very sorry for the pain it’s caused—and maybe still is causing—you. With divorce so common, I wonder, What’s to keep you from heading down that same road someday? My desire in writing this post is to save your marriage before you even meet your future husband.
Before we go any further, do me a favor, and don’t rub what you’re about to read in any divorced person’s face. That’s not the point! My desire in writing this post is to save your marriage before you even meet your future husband by introducing you to God’s thoughts on marriage and divorce.
Oh, I know you’re not married yet. But someday, you probably will be. And there may be days—possibly even long months that turn into even longer years—when you shake your head and mutter to yourself, This is no marriage. I didn’t sign up for this.
So I wonder, If the going gets tough for you, will you choose to divorce?
I’m afraid you will—unless you get ahold of the mind-blowing truths found in Mark 10:2–12. This passage finds the Pharisees (think “the squeaky-clean, religious, we’re-something-special leaders of Jesus’ day”) trying to trick Jesus with a question:
“Jesus, is it allowed—is it kosher—for a man to divorce his wife?”
“You tell me,” Jesus answered. “What did Moses command you?” (These guys knew the law of Moses like junior highers know their A-B-Cs!) Immediately they rattled off, “Yup, Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife and send her away.”
Doesn’t sound much different than today, huh? A lot of people in the Church will encourage you to get a divorce when the going gets tough.
But not Jesus.
He responds,
“Moses (not God!) wrote this commandment because your hearts were hard.” In other words, you wanted a divorce so bad, he let you have it.
But . . .
“But from the very beginning of time,” Jesus dug in, “God made humans in two varieties: male and female. Man and woman. And He designed them to leave their parents and hold fast to each other, so that the two would become one.”
Then, just in case they missed this mind-blowing math, Jesus repeated Himself,
“Married people are no longer two people but one person.”
Whoa!
“So,” Jesus concludes, “What God has joined together, let not man separate.”
You would never think of cutting yourself in half. God has joined you together. Don’t let others—or yourself—separate what God has fused together.
Did you catch that?! Marriage has always been God’s marvelous plan for one man plus one woman. And when they marry, it’s ultimately God who’s turned two into one.
So, sweet girl, when your marvelous, God-designed marriage starts to seem mighty un-marvelous due to your sin or your hubby’s sin, remember these marriage-preserving truths. You are no longer two but one.
You would never think of cutting yourself in half. God has joined you together. Don’t let others—or yourself—separate what God has fused together.
Okay, your turn to talk back to me. Does divorce seem acceptable to you? Would you consider it if your own marriage got tough? How does Jesus’ teaching crack the way you naturally think about divorce?
“Will You Get a Divorce Someday?” was originally posted on LiesYoungWomenBelieve.com.
Paula (Hendricks) Marsteller is a compassionate, bold Christian communicator offering you gospel hope, thought-provoking questions, and practical help along the way.
I gave my insight on your Facebook posting. In reality, marriage is 2 becoming 1, and leaving the in laws out of the decisions made as a couple! Advice is great, but leave it at that!
Agree, John. Gen. 2:24.