Youthful Marriages

I am weary of hearing; "we divorced because we were so young when we married."

Youth is not a bad thing in a marriage. I was sixteen when I became engaged to my husband and 18 when we married. Next month we are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. "I was young when I married" is just an excuse as though that is relevant. My husband and I grew up together, we matured as we worked through problems. One does not mature first and then marry, one matures because of marriage. Those who do not mature are those who are self-focused and bail out before there can be a breakthrough in healing. Often delaying marriage and children causes a sort of stunted growth.

We did not stay together because things were always wonderful and perfect, that kind of marriage is a fantasy.

We stayed together because we were committed to marriage, even when there might have been temptations to end the marriage through difficulty we could not bring ourselves to separate because of our love for one another and above all because we knew it was against God's commands.

Even before we were born again there was a sense of failure and displeasing God if we became divorced. Many years ago divorce was a scandal even among unbelievers. Most people did not divorce two generations ago. Our aunts and uncles on both sides remained married their entire lives and they were not born again. There was a cultural stigma attached to a failed marriage even if those staying together didn't know that the command to remain married came from God.

Now we have "Christians" fighting and devouring one another to defend divorce as though it were acceptable to God. This is the result of the self-esteem teaching that promotes self-focus.

Malachi 2:16

16 “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence,” says the Lord of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”

What part of "I hate divorce" says God, do we not understand?

The children in the 70's generation were raised by the culture that taught one only has to do what one wants to do. Anyone who taught self-sacrifice for the greater good was mocked and rejected as pariahs to be shunned and avoided.

The idea that one should stay together in a marriage is seen as ridiculous to many who are used to and indoctrinated by the idea that no one should have to endure anything they don't wish to endure.

1 Corinthians 2:13-15 "…13 And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.…"

Our world is deteriorating in every area and aspect because the Bible is not the standard for truth for most families.

This cannot be fixed, but we can encourage one another to remain steadfast in our resolve to make the Bible our standard even if no one else does.

We can live in obedience to God and His principles even when we are mocked for doing so or rejected entirely by family and community. We can even do this with great joy in our hearts.

Matthew 5:11-13

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Disciples and the World

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people."

As long as we understand that our rejection is no fault of our own but the fault of those who refuse to obey the Bible, we can live in total peace that we are pleasing God. Let's never forget that if someone mocks or demeans us for our stand for Christ that is entirely on them not us.

I say these things because they are getting worse as we head toward the tribulation. We will be raptured because we know Christ, but the mentality of the tribulation and end of the end times began some time ago and grows worse every day. We will not be under God's wrath as those who will enter into the tribulation but we will see rejection and persecution before that time of God's wrath, enduring the wrath of the devil and those who hate God.

Be encouraged, God said this would happen! This is why we must ignore the feelings that well up inside of us when those who are evil come against us. They will try to make us feel like villains for standing for truth. Don't pay any attention to them remembering it is the devil who puts this in the minds of lost people.

No one can destroy the glue that binds two people by the hand of God in marriage. It cannot be done, only death breaks that spiritual bond.