What God Has Joined Together

“‘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. Therefore what God
has joined together, let man not separate’” (Matthew 19:4-6).

The marriage service says that marriage is a “holy estate.” The
Christian marriage is more than physical, economic, cohabitating and child
bearing and rearing. It is a spiritual fellowship; it is a picture on earth of
Christ and His body, the Church.

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband
is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which
he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should
submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing
her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to
himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but
holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as
their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:22-28).

At the time of this writing, I have recently seen eight
Christian marriages break up after over twenty years of marriage. I am watching
several more in the process. Is there an attempt to stop it? Yes! However,
there is encouragement for divorce from counselors, attorneys, family members,
and Christian friends. Intruding, teaching, and discipline may be in order, but
what is really needed is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Each of you
know friends of yours who are in this situation. Pray for the heavy hand of God
to be upon them until there is repentance.

If there is any sign of trouble in your marriage, repent to God
and call for help from the saints.

In case this all sounds too discouraging, we know of several
marriages that have been wonderfully saved.

This post coordinates with today’s reading in the Same
Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading
plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with
us.