*They said to Him, Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away? He said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
God has always intended each married couple, one man and one woman, to remain married for life (Genesis 2:24).
Moses had indeed permitted divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) but only because of the hardness of human hearts.
Divorce is permissible, but marriage vows should not be taken lightly.
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God would have couples do their best with His help to keep their marriage intact.
If a divorce occurs, God's compassionate love can heal even the deepest wounds.
*When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house.
God desires marriages to stay together.
Because sin has infected all relationships, however, some marriages do not survive.
Moses commands regarding divorce were given in a culture where a man could divorce his wife verbally and leave her with no property or rights.
These commandments regulating divorce in Israel protected those left most helpless the woman and her children.
* The Bible does not give people an easy way out of their commitments.
People are expected to honor their commitments.
*The woman answered and said, I have no husband.
Jesus said to her, You have well said, I have no husband, for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.
Divorce is not an unforgivable sin.
As painful as divorce is for all involved and as heartbreaking as divorce is for those who face it without wanting it, God can touch broken hearts and lives and make them whole again.
When possible, couples should seek every option they can to avoid divorce.
At times, however, the unthinkable occurs.
God is there to help us pick up the pieces.
*If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.
And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband...
But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.
But God has called us to peace.
For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? * When one spouse becomes a Christian and the other doesn't, the believing spouse should stay in the marriage.
Paul explained that the marriage bond is so strong that a believer should not willingly break it.
Through that union, the unbeliever may become a Christian.
In any event, the believer can have a positive influence on the spouse and children.
Through the help of web counselor problem can be solved.
*Prayer starter* Lord, we know that You hate divorce.
You hate what it does to people.
You hate the death it causes of a marriage, a family, a dream.
And yet, it is a sad reality.
We want Your will, Lord.
We want what is best for all concerned.
I pray today for...