When is a promise made to God and the promise giver no longer accountable? Do difficulties reduce the obligation? Does heartache blot out the contract made before God? Why would God allow His son and daughter to enter a contract with Him and each other if He knew how difficult it would be to keep that promise?
It is through difficulties that we are either made stronger by trusting God more or we are broken upon the rocks. When our race is ran how will we answer God’s question “Why?” Will excuses be enough to release us from our obligation? If there is any chance of that we would have to exhaust the possibility of God helping us keep our promise first. I’ve heard that with God all things are possible; still we live as though loving each other is not within our reach and in a way it is not because it takes God to make it work.
In the Old Testament book of Hosea we see the difficulties the prophet Hosea had with his wife Gomer and we understand his life with Gomer mirrored God’s relationship with Israel. God is not asking anything of us that He has not gone through Himself but instead we follow His lead so that we might better understand why the Lord is indeed God. Additionally, we are not God or Hosea, meaning both husband and wife has done things to tear down the institution God created when we promised to love each other without end. No matter how difficult my relationship with my wife becomes it could never be as difficult as standing before God knowing I have to answer for not keeping my promise I made to Him to love my wife, which He entrusted to me.
With that being said there are very few instances where a spouse must leave, one being if their life is in danger. God told Moses because of the hardness of men’s hearts there were certain conditions under which they may divorce their wife but it was not what God had intended.
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful. [And anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.]"
(Matthew 19:8-9 NLT)
The point being that God expects us to listen and obey His leading and in doing so divorce will never be spoken between husband and wife. It is only because of the hardness of our hearts do we start to think this is our way out but we are blinded to the consequences of breaking the promise we made at the beginning.
Lord, thank You for my wife, thank You for teaching me how to love, and thank You for helping me to understand better how You love us. Though my relationship with my wife is not always easy I also realize I can be difficult to live with too but I am also aware that these difficulties come as a result of not giving You full control, please forgive me. As the father and husband I know that I answer to You and You hold me accountable to represent the character of God to my wife and children at all times. Please renew my relationship with my wife, even though most days are good there is still a separation between us, as if something is holding us back. I believe that is a lack of trust because of past hurts on both our parts. Help us to forgive each other when the other one misses the mark and help us not to be quick to judge so that our mercy is new every morning; don’t let disappointment build up in our hearts, which demands actions that have bad consequences and ultimately work to destroy what You have made. By loving each other like You love us the distrust fades and forgiveness happens and between us is a life-giving fountain so that when difficulties come and we feel loving each other is impossible we will be reminded that with You all things are possible; help us be Christ to each other so that together we may represent You to those we come in contact with and in so doing be one as You intended. In Jesus name, I pray, amen.
