My friend and I had a discussion the other day regarding divorce; it is literally all around us. She and I are in two different seasons regarding relationships. My husband and I have fought for our marriage for over thirteen years and she is still in the waiting period for God to bring her Mr. Right. We've both sacrificed to be righteous instead of right so many times to do things God's way in order for Him to bring us full circle for His glory in our intimate relationships. So it shouldn't come as a shock that when we hear about people getting a divorce, we get a little offended.
I don't want to get in to justification for why each divorce is unique and that was the only option to take. I don't even want to talk about the action of divorce in general. I want to talk about the root of every divorce: the unfaithfulness to the covenant.
In our discussion, my friend mentioned that she was taken aback, most, by people claiming to be Christians pulling the unity cord of their marriage. I listened to a podcast the other day in which the guest speaker said 68% of Americans refered to themselves as Christians. 6% refer to themselves as disciples. A Christian is someone who believes the teachings of Christ. A disciple is one who treats Christ as mentor and who sees himself as an apprentice, anxious to learn and do everything as the mentor teaches. The word "Christian" is used in the Bible three times; however, the word "disciple" is used 269 times.
Following my mentor, Jesus's, unconditionally loving example, Moses teaches Christ's followers this: "I want you to realize that the Lord your God is God. He is the faithful God. He keeps His covenant for all time to come. He keeps it with those who love Him and obey His commandments. He shows them love." -Deuteronomy 7:9
What I learn about God in this scripture is that He is the Almighty One; knower of all things past, present, and future. He is a faithful God. There has, no will there ever be, a covenant He makes that He does not keep. He pours out His love on those who love and trust His ways and follows through with them.
What I learn about people in this scripture is that if I'm aspiring to be an apprentice of the Lord, God, I am to do what doesn't always make sense if God says, "Do." I am to match His unconditional faithfulness in all of my relationships, and I should understand this, first hand, because I've put several idols before the Lord many times. Every covenant that I go through with whether it be coaching kid's pitch softball or accepting Jesus as the leader of my life, I follow through with that covenant; for better or for worse. If I am signing up to be more than a "Christian" but to be a disciple and apprentice of Jesus, I will anxiously do His will because of my love for Him.
God is not a "cause and effect" God. It took me a long time to wrap my head around that. God loves me because I am His, not because of anything that I have done. That's the example we have been given on how to love people, including our most intimate relationships.
Keeping a covenant is legally the most binding contract you will have to sign or give oath to; however, it's become one of the most broken contracts that is supported by people claiming to be followers of Christ, unconditionally. Anything that is keeping you from upholding a covenant on your end, is a condition.
When I'm teaching my kids sacrifice and selflessness and "going the extra mile because of love and not for the reward" you know what I'm training them for? Marriage. That's what marriage is. It's the unconditional, not cause and effect kind of love that Jesus demonstrates.
I don't know much about divorce, but I know a whole lot about broken covenants. I know that God hates both. (Malachi 2:16) They both involve selfishness which I've been guilty of so many times. But, the benefit of being an apprentice to the God of Mercy, HE IS LOVE.
"The Lord is close to those whose hearts have been broken. He saves those whose spirits have been crushed. The person who does what is right may have many troubles. But the Lord saves from all of them." -Psalm 34:18-19
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