And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. Matthew 19:29-30 NASB
Read Matthew 19.
Today’s topic may leave a bad taste for some, but before I even begin, remember that God is a God of love and grace. I know many women find themselves in a hopeless marital situation, and the pain can be unbearable. It is not God’s will for you to be abused, neglected, or miserable. However, God’s ideal for marriage is a lifetime commitment of love and oneness between a man and a woman. God uses our marriages to understand more of our relationship with Him as His bride. Jesus said in verses 5 and 6, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
God’s ideal for marriage is a lifetime commitment of love and oneness between a man and a woman. God uses our marriages to understand more of our relationship with Him as His bride.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always turn out that way. Sometimes one spouse rips apart the covenant by being unfaithful, although that is not always a mandate to end it. In many situations, this covenant is taken too lightly, and a marriage that could have been healed may be severed prematurely. However, in His mercy, God did establish circumstances to free the victim when one partner has been unfaithful, and the marriage has become unbearable for the innocent spouse. It is certainly not the ideal, but it happens.
We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus to bring healing and restoration to these hearts. God forgives, and we should too.
Remaining faithful when we are hurting takes supernatural grace and strength. If the marriage can be saved, by all means, it should be. However, when one is unfaithful, it brings undue burden and pain to the other partner. While most divorces are walked into hastily, and marriage vows are often taken too lightly, we need to have an attitude of grace toward those who have walked down this path. We will never know what has gone on behind closed doors, and it is not our place to judge. Even if the person who filed for divorce is in the wrong, it is not our place to shoot our wounded or bring condemnation. We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus to bring healing and restoration to these hearts. God forgives, and we should too. Showing grace and mercy does not mean that we are soft on the commands of God, but it extends the heart of God to the people He loves.
We need to have an attitude of grace toward those who have walked down this path. We will never know what has gone on behind closed doors, and it is not our place to judge.
Showing grace and mercy does not mean that we are soft on the commands of God, but it extends the heart of God to the people He loves.
To give you a taste of Jesus’ feelings toward you, no matter what you have been through, or your marital status, I want you to take a moment to consider the adulterous woman and the woman at the well. In each situation, Jesus NEVER condemned or rejected either one. He showed compassion and kindness. His love oozed from His heart to theirs, which was in stark contrast to the religious leaders of the time. When they shamed these women and even tried to stone one of them, Jesus never accused them. He simply said, “Go and sin no more.” Jesus gives a second chance, and we need to follow His example as the body of Christ. Let’s quit the harsh judgment and show the love and grace of Jesus instead.
Jesus NEVER condemned or rejected them. He showed compassion and kindness. His love oozed from His heart to theirs, which was in stark contrast to the religious leaders of the time.
The Pharisees had tried to trap Jesus yet again. They asked Jesus if it is OK to file for a divorce for any reason. Moses had given permission for divorce because of the people’s hard hearts, but through the years, loopholes were found to justify divorce for just any reason. A woman could be a lousy cook or house keeper, and her husband could cast her out into the street and ask for a divorce. Jesus taught against such behavior that went against the purpose of God for marriage.
Jesus wasn’t condemning all divorce here. He was speaking against the flippant disregard for the sacred covenant of marriage and the hasty jump into divorce for every reason under the sun. Some see this as Jesus teaching that divorce for any reason is a sin, but that is not what He said. Jesus explains that divorce is still permissible when one has been unfaithful.
Jesus was speaking against the flippant disregard for the sacred covenant of marriage and the hasty jump into divorce for every reason under the sun.
Jesus said that to divorce your spouse and to marry another is to commit adultery, but that is not all He said. He was saying this if you divorce for just any reason. If one spouse has been unfaithful, divorce is justifiable and the innocent spouse is free to move on. He was clearly explaining the exception here. Not everyone sees it this way and brings condemnation to anyone who has been divorced or remarried, but let us carefully consider the words and heart of Jesus here:
And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful. Matthew 19:9 NLT. Jesus clearly states the exception to this rule.
Let’s walk quickly through the remainder of this chapter. We discussed this extensively a few days ago how Jesus felt about children, and He brings it up again here. Parents were bringing their children to Jesus for Him to bless them. However, the disciples were becoming irritated. They felt that the children were overwhelming Jesus and getting in His way. They saw the children as such a bother. But, Jesus touched and blessed every single child and gave his disciples a lesson on the Kingdom:
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14 NLT Never forget that children have a special place in the heart of Jesus, and may our hearts be humble and pure just like these children!
Finally, Jesus addresses the hold that riches can have on our hearts that can hinder us from following Him. There is such a fine line. While God loves to bless us, He does not ever want money or things to become an idol in our lives. We need to be willing to let it go and seek Him first. Let us not put our hope or our confidence in riches. So many come to God for the purpose of prosperity, but that is not what Jesus taught at all. It is all about the condition of our hearts.
While God loves to bless us, He does not ever want money or things to become an idol in our lives.
A rich man had come to Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. He was one who faithfully obeyed the commandments, but Jesus saw something lacking in his heart. He told the man to sell everything he owned and give it to the poor. Now, Jesus is not saying that we have to do this in order to be saved, but he was illustrating the lack of true devotion in this man’s heart. This man was sorrowful because he was not willing to let go of his stuff. That is what Jesus meant when He said it would be easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom. It is not that Jesus is against the wealthy, but He understands what a snare riches can be.
So many come to God for the purpose of prosperity, but that is not what Jesus taught at all. It is all about the condition of our hearts… It is not that Jesus is against the wealthy, but He understands what a snare riches can be.
Remember that wealth is only temporary, but it can completely cloud our relationship with God. Let us store up our treasures in heaven where they will never spoil or fade. Let us be willing to be completely sold out for Christ, and it will be worth it in eternity. Jesus reminded the disciples that while they had given up everything to follow Him, they “will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.” (verse 29).
Finally, Jesus turned their understanding up-side-down again. He concluded by telling them that the ones who seem so important now will be least in the Kingdom, but those who aren’t as important now will be the greatest in the Kingdom. God’s economy goes so against our human understanding!
I hope these daily words are a blessing to you and your walk with Christ!
God bless!
