God’s Heart for Marriage

“Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
Matthew 19:3 (NIV)

 Would you like to receive God’s heart for marriage?

I recently read a cartoon of one young adult saying to another, “It is only marriage I am proposing after all–not a life-time commitment.” Sadly, divorce is all-too common and its affects are far-reaching. But Jesus offers hope and wisdom that can renew your perspective of marriage.

When Jesus spoke the words of this verse, His audience believed a man could send his wife away for any reason at all. But Jesus instead places high value on the sacred commitment of marriage. 

As He does this, Jesus also challenges the patriarchal view of His day. He places high value and respect upon women. Jesus says that both men and women are equally responsible before God to abide by His boundaries concerning marriage.  

What are His boundaries? Jesus said that marriage is to be honored by all. Divorce may be permitted by the law but it is not God’s original design for marriage. “Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” (Matthew 19:8) 

In other words, God’s heart for marriage is that one man and one woman keep soft hearts before God and toward one another to stay married for life.

Perhaps you have never been married or you are no longer married. Though marriage is an important part of life, it is not the most important part. Jesus fulfilled His calling and purpose as an unmarried man.

The most important thing about you is not your marital status but your status before God: you are His child. 

Today, God is inviting you to trust Him. Perhaps in your marriage you need to consider yourself before looking at your spouse. Or in your singleness, God may be calling You to draw closer to Him. After divorce, what are the areas that God is wanting to mature in you? Submit yourself to Him and you can trust Him to work in the ways you are or have been impacted by marital breakdown.

Prayer: Father, Thank You for designing marriage for my good. I confess, throughout my life, I can see how the difficulty of marriage can overshadow its benefits. But Lord, You commanded us not to separate what You have joined together. So I pray today for marriages. Help us remain faithful to Your command, through Your Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.