Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Divorce is NOT okay!

Mr. Free got a phone call this morning. Another couple divorcing. It was only 2 years ago, almost to the day, that we attended their wedding. Tragic. Hopefully, they'll come to their senses and call it off. I'll be praying.

This couple did everything according to the social norms of our day. They dated for the customary 2 years. They had the big wedding celebration. They got the marriage license and certificate. They even know Christ as their Savior, study the bible, pray and attend church regularly. What went wrong?

They don't know what marriage is.

Yeah, I said it.

And I truly believe it.

This is about the time when Mr. Free tells me I'm being judgmental. Maybe I am. Or maybe I'm onto something. He's already told me I don't know the whole story. Neither does he. We do know, however, that the couple in question are at odds over financial issues. This is their reason, supposedly, for getting divorced.

Is this a reason for divorce? I'm looking for scripture on that and can't find that reason anywhere. My bible says that Father hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). My bible says that divorce is only allowable in cases of infidelity and, even then, it's better to forgive (Matthew 19:9, Ephesians 4:32). Tough to do, I know, but that's besides the point. My bible doesn't say that you can rid yourself of your spouse...break your covenant...and offend Father because you're at odds over financial issues.

Then again, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. After all, the state says you can divorce for these reasons all day every day.

I'm tired of the charade. I'm tired of the act. I'm tired of Believers being fooled by this imitation of marriage that tells them divorce is okay. It isn't. It never has been. It never will be. Got a problem with that? Take it up with the Most High. After all, it's Him who is most offended by divorce.

What do you do when you just can't seem to make it work? You figure out a way to make it work! But the bottom line is you don't give up.

Ask any couple that's been married for any length of time. You don't get to your silver or golden anniversary by giving up. And if you don't think this is possible for "everyone", then you have no business getting married in the first place. All of those who made it 25, 50 or even 75 years (like Mr. Free's grandparents), have dealt with the same issues...and more...as most couples out there. Marriage ain't easy, folks. Getting married might be, but staying married isn't. These people who make it work aren't perfect people. They're no better and no smarter than you and I. They have no secrets other than they stay even when it makes more sense to go. They forgive. They accept. They change. They grow. They endure. They stay.

After entering into a marriage covenant. The "D" word should be entirely and forever stricken from your vocabulary.

Impossible, you say? I don't know what I'm talking about, you say? Not for everyone, you say?

I say that's why more than half of all marriages end in divorce. MORE than half!

With statistics like that, why even get married if you don't believe you can be in that less than half that stays together?