Today's reading is from Exodus 5:22-7:24, Matthew 18:23-19:12, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 5:22-23
I want to focus today on Matthew 19:1-11; When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 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?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.
Jesus starts off speaking to the Pharisees when they asked Him about the acceptible reasons for divorcing. They thought they could trip Him up with their questions, so they asked if a man may divorce for any and every reason? But Jesus was onto their tactics. He told them bluntly that God had never planned for men and women to divorce as when they were wed God made them one theywere no longer two, so how could men divide them?
So then the Pharisees asked why Moses had allowed a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away. Again Jesus answere that this was only permitted because of the hardness of men's hearts, not because of any change in God's plans of us. He wanted men to walk according to God's original plans for men and woman. Jesus gave only instances of adultry as frounds for divorcing.
After the Pharisees left the disciples went a little further in their questioning, lets read this portion in the Contempory English Version;
The disciples said, "If that's how it is between a man and a woman, it's better not to get married."
Jesus told them, "Only those people who have been given the gift of staying single can accept this teaching. Some people are unable to marry because of birth defects or because of what someone has done to their bodies. Others stay single for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who can accept this teaching should do so."
I think that the disciples were just popping off like some of us did as children when we were reluctant to do what our parents had required of us. You know, pouting and stomping our feet in disgust amd dismay.
But Jesus understood this and let them know that staying single was only meant for those who were given the gift of being single, were malformed in some way or had chosen a single lifestyle in order to do more work for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Most men and women are meant ot live as married couples, and they do. But there are a few of us who will never marry, or remarry, as they feel called of God to work for Him and remain married only to Jesus for the rest of their lives. This is what the apostle Paul was also saying when he spoke of in I Corinthians 7:7-10, also in the Contempory English Version;
I wish that all of you were like me, but God has given different gifts to each of us. Here is my advice for people who have never been married and for widows. You should stay single, just as I am. But if you don't have enough self-control, then go ahead and get married. After all, it is better to marry than to burn with desire. I instruct married couples to stay together, and this is exactly what the Lord himself taught. A wife who leaves her husband should either stay single or go back to her husband. And a husband should not leave his wife.
So if you are wondering if you are to stay single or get married, or remarried, ask Jesus if you were chosen to receive this gift of singleness or to prepare for a life of wedded bliss. Only He knows what gifts He has for each of us.
My current gift and my calling at this time, and I feel may last for the rest of my life, is to remain single and minister to other women who are currently in this state.
Thank you Lord, for this gift of singleness! I hope I use it well and to your glory!
Until next time!
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