“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." Mark 10:9

My wife just left me. She was my best friend. The love of my life. Those were the painful words spoken to me recently by an acquaintance. We’ve all heard the statistics: half of marriages in our society end in divorce and Christian marriages fare no better. Do you know recent research has proven those “facts” to be false? Turns out, according to Shaunti Felhahn in The Good News About Marriage, about 70 per cent of marriages do not end in divorce. Plus, the divorce rate for regular church goers is much less than that. That is good news. News that needs to be heralded!

The more marriage is viewed as irrelevant, the less likely we are to stand for its virtues. In fact, have you heard the latest trend in marriage? Sologamy — marrying oneself. People are making public vows to be in love with themselves for the rest of their rugged individualistic lives. It’s hardly a mindset on which to build a thriving society.

Contrary to what we hear, marriage matters. Real marriage models the beauty that lies in dying to self, just as Jesus died for the body. It exposes the vacant promises of life centered on my wants, my needs, my desires. It teaches us to press through immediate gratification for something larger than self.

So I’m praying for the and in marriages to be strengthened. If you are married, may you and your spouse grow more and more in love. Let no one — including your self — separate what God has joined together.

Father, I pray for the bond between husbands and wives to be strengthened. May we reflect Your divine intention for marriage to a lonely world. Amen.

Take Action

Take a moment to pray for the specific marriages you know of that could be strengthened.



Tags: family marriage