June 27th

Avoiding the Toll Road of Divorce

I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress-that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. 1 Corinthians 7:26-28

What's holding your focus these days? What is your first thought in the morning and your last thought at night? What do you think about on the way home from work or after dinner as you head into your evening activities?

For a lot of people, it is whether they are married or single. For those who are married, they are thinking about the trouble their marriage is in, or how they can make each other happier, or what other things their house needs to be nicer, etc.

And for those who are single, they are consumed with the pursuit of a spouse. They choose their social events by whether other single people will be there. The first question in their mind when they meet a new person is whether that person might be The One. Their singleness consumes their thoughts and defines their identity.

This is not how our lives should be.

Paul writes to tell the church in Corinth these things and he advises them that they should not seek to change their relational status, whether married or single. Marriage is wonderful, but it is hard. And singleness has its own difficulties, but single people are free in many ways that married people are not.

He wants the Church to know that time is short and there are other things that need our attention. He does not want our marriage or our singleness to consume all our thoughts. He wants to lift that burden off our lives so that we can focus on things that really matter-like how we can serve Christ Jesus.

Don't be distracted, looking for ways to ditch your marriage. That's not right. And don't be distracted, consumed by serving your spouse. Don't be distracted by your singleness either, because God knows your needs and will give you your spouse as you serve Him!

Instead, look for ways you can serve God, both within the home and outside of it. Make that your priority and it will save your marriage from divorce, give your relationship purpose, and help keep you strong while you wait for God to give you your spouse.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for being the strength of my (future) marriage! I choose now to set my focus on You and how to serve You. As I make You my first priority, I know that You will help me with everything else I need to do.

Amen