Most marriages don’t instantaneously fall apart and dismantle. There is often an unnoticed chipping away, at the fabric of this godly institution, by the world’s ideas and concepts. Sometimes ideas creep into our subconscious and many people wake up one day, feeling out of love and with the deep desire to separate. “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Solomon 2:15).
Marriages need constant pruning and to be constantly placed before God, for their maintenance and survival. Solomon wrote of catching those small things, in the vineyard of love that are likely to spoil our vineyards. We have to work hard at love and ask God to show us areas where we can and need to make improvements, in order for our marriages to continue to flourish.
The ideas of divorce and remarriage have become extremely pervasive. Moses was instructed to write the certificate of divorce, due to the hardness of the people’s hearts (Mark 10:4). There are times when a marriage is an unsafe place, due to constant abuse and neglect or perpetual infidelity. At these times persons can be supported to separate to preserve their life and sanity.
Other marriages can be eroded overtime, like a constant ongoing landslip, or the erosion of a seabed. I scarcely have all the answers, but my confidence is in God to help us preserve as best we can and to restore and recover in areas where possible.
We continue to pray for the restoration and maintenance of godly marriages, where godly children can be raised to continue to preserve, God’s intended institution of marriage and family. “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
A.P.-Y.
Devotional Inspirations 