OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 18/05/2014 - GOD HATES DIVORCE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOD HATES DIVORCE

MEMORISE

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matthew 5:32

READ

Malachi 2:13-16

13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

MESSAGE

The Church and the community at large are concerned with the stability of family life. Family instability contributes to human suffering, which can continue to the third and fourth generation. This is crucial because children need two actively involved parents who love them and each other, if they are to be emotionally prepared for future deep, personal relationships necessary for the making of a good marriage. Divorce represents a kind of bereavement because out of it comes severe damage and destruction of important personal relationships. Problems like deep mistrust of others, the fear of close relations and the fear of desertion are the result of divorce. Divorce is not an experience from which a sensitive person easily recovers. Its residual emotional scars may be life-long and may contribute to emotional warping in the next generation. God hates divorce. God’s ideal for marriage is that it be permanent. He stated this in Matthew 19:6 which says,

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

Marriage is a relationship in which two adults of the opposite sex make an emotional and legal commitment to live together. In today’s society, people engage in marriage for love, companionship, fulfilment of expectations and economic needs. Though marriage is a social institution that is cherished and highly revered in every culture of the world, it is sometimes afflicted with so many conflicts that often result in divorce. There is no denying the fact that marriage breeds more conflicts than most other social institutions, and that most couples frequently disagree, quarrel, nag or throw up the past at each other at one point or the other. This is an age of easy divorce. Many people enter marriage with an ‘escape hatch’ frame of mind: “if this doesn’t work out, we can always call it off and move on”. Consequently, termination of unhappy marriages by divorce is increasing; so also is the number of children in disrupted marriages. Every marriage has conflicts to be resolved. Whenever a conflict is not resolved, it feeds upon itself and gradually creates circumstances that could complicate the task of resolution. In effect, one quarrel leads to another and the vicious cycle of conflicts becomes difficult to break. Since God hates divorce, it is advisable that couples should always endeavour to resolve all marital conflicts and prevent their marriage from being destroyed.

ACTION POINT

Always agree with your spouse on the need to resolve your marital conflicts promptly.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Genesis 37:12-39:23; Psalm 106:32-48