Matthew – God’s Purposes
Marriage is a bond between two people, male and female. If the male and female seek God first, then their marriage is blessed by God. Will there be disagreements and trials in this relationship? Absolutely, for male and female are distinctly designed in different ways with specific gifts and abilities. The blessing in this bond between two people who love God is strengthened BECAUSE of their differences working together to achieve more than what only one person could achieve in following God’s best for them.I talked with a young, unmarried teacher just last night, who commented on how Randy and I work together in the classrooms here in Bolivia. “You and Randy work as a team, that is so cool!” I chuckled a bit and said, “Well, it took us a few years, almost 48 to be exact, to achieve our team spirit.” What she doesn’t see or realize that behind the scene are two very different personalities who realize the gifts and abilities that each of us has been given by God.
We know who does what the best and are willing to plan lessons accordingly. We sometimes strongly disagree because of our “night and day” differences when dreaming about our goals. But because of the love of God in us, our love for each other never fails in the discussions. Those disagreements actually lead to each of us seeing life from a different perspective and forming a better plan because of this revelation!
Jesus reclaims what God intended for male and female coming together in marriage. In Moses time, trying to keep God’s people focused on Him, many strayed. That’s probably why they spent so much time in the wilderness wandering around. They were always under God’s care but chose to complain, argue, and lament over their present circumstances. It is no wonder their marriages didn’t last because of this selfishness. Moses used the “paper” of divorce to protect the women sent away by men from the bond, a “concession to hard hearts” of sinful men, freeing her to marry someone else who would care for her. It is not what God intended but they were doing many things not of God at the time. We have many divorced friends who we love dearly. Most will say, we were not under God’s will when we married and did not live for Him while married. We didn’t know how to be married. We didn’t know how to handle life while going through financial hard times. We didn’t know how to disagree without fighting for our “rights” as individuals. There is the problem today in this key word…individuals. They never came together “united as one” under God’s will and purpose for them as a couple in the marriage bond. Without God, we fight as individuals, selfishly driven to get our own way.
Jesus points out this is not what God intended…
Jesus also knew then what is said and acceptable in today’s world…“Not everyone can accept this statement,” only those who God helps.
Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, Jesus provided a way back to God. Come to Him. Stay with Him. God will help and bless all marriages where two individuals come together as “one” in Him. Use your God given differences, with God’s help, to create a bond of ONE that cannot be broken.
Matthew 18, NLT
Discussion about Divorce and Marriage
19 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
7 “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”10 Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!”
11 “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for creating us the way you did. Thank you, dear Jesus, for showing us with your life, how to lay down our selfishness and think of others more than ourselves. Help us not to fight for our “rights” but to focus on being more righteous in your eyes. Help us to be one in You.
In Jesus Name, Amen
