March 14, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 19:1-9
OBSERVATIONS
Why is it that religion always seems to get in the way when God is great things: people are healed, crowds are blessed and the religious people turn it into a debate.
This was a test, they wanted to see if Jesus would go against Moses. Jesus quotes God (He’s bigger than Moses), then explains that Moses included the command re. divorce because he knew how stubborn and hard-hearted humans are. Notice, Jesus says “your hearts”, nice dig.
But the point here is that not everything that Moses wrote reflects what God intended from the beginning. The Law of Moses does not perfectly represent God’s creation design, rather it includes accommodations to human sinfulness. Slavery, polygamy, war, sacrifices, these are example of things God did not originally intend.
God has always intended that marriage be fore life; nevertheless, because of sin divorce happens, and God provides support for those who have gone through it. Doesn’t make it good, but it can be necessary at times, unavoidable.
Remarriage always involves adultery (a breaking of your first vow), but God in His mercy provides forgiveness and hope, even when we fail.
God’s heart remains firmly committed to marriage, and we should too. Whatever state we find ourselves in (single, married, single again, married again), we should strive with all His power to seek His vision for marriage.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
I see grace all over this passage. We all know people who have been divorced. Even they would agree that their marriage breakdown was not good, even if it was necessary. It’s not the way God wanted things to turn out, but it happened. Does God reject them forever? No!
God is always accommodating to our sinful, stubborn hearts. If God treated us as our sins deserve, who could stand?
We should always aim for God’s will from the beginning, but when we fail, we can come to Him in humility and repentance and know that He provides a way of grace to move forward.
Whenever I read passages in the Old Testament that make me cringe, I look back beyond them to see God’s “very good” world in the beginning, and I remind myself of His original design and purpose.
We sure make a mess of things, but God is good… thank God He is good!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I fall short of Your creation intention all the time. This is not an excuse, but You do provide encouragement that even in my hard-heartedness, You reach out to me and accommodate my weakness.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observations:
Large crowds followed Him. Where Jesus went, so did the people. The question raised was by the Pharisees – a question of entrapment. The question was for a man to divorce his wife for whatever reason. Can he?
What God has put together, let no one separate was the reply.
Yet man makes wrong choices. Man insists going his own way and therefore the certificate of divorce was issued by Moses – but the intent was – as was in the beginning, one man and one wife. That’s the correct relationship. Any other is sin.
Application:
Man’s heart hardedness and God’s amazing grace is at work. Man insisting on his own way and God reaching down and saving him once again. Man breaking the law/purpose of marriage and Christ restoring the broken situation. The story of the fall all over again. God at work mending the broken world, putting the broken pieces back together again. Don’t just live for today but keep your eyes on the way it should be. As it was in the beginning, that is the way it should be. Live it by His power and grace.
Prayer:
Thank You Lord for lifting man up once again and restoring Him. Help me each day to live in the right relationship with all people, keeping my eyes on You.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.