December 21st, 2025
Scripture – “They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘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.””
Mark 10:4-9 NIV
Observation – The Pharisees told Jesus that Moses said they could divorce their wives. Jesus replied that, “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.”
Application – Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce, not because marriage is flawed, but because people are. Scripture reminds us that we are sinners in need of Jesus, and that we are called to be crucified with Christ. By nature, we are selfish—driven by our own wants and desires. That part of us must die if we are to experience peace, love, and unity in our marriages and in our relationships with others. This struggle has existed since the beginning of time. Consider a common scenario: a wife feels frustrated with her husband. Instead of sitting down with him, affirming her love, and gently explaining her concerns and how his behavior affects the family, she resorts to nagging or withholding affection—hoping he will “figure it out.” The husband, in turn, feels unappreciated and unloved. He begins to believe he’s been reduced to little more than the person who pays the bills and mows the lawn, and he may even convince himself that he married the wrong person.If we truly obeyed Jesus and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide our lives, our focus would shift. We would care deeply about how our spouse feels. We would willingly sacrifice—not to meet our own needs, but to bring joy and encouragement to the one we love. I’ve also seen marriages where one spouse chooses to serve and sacrifice, hoping their partner will notice and respond in kind. When that sacrifice goes unacknowledged, resentment can grow. The serving spouse becomes discouraged and begins to withdraw emotionally, all because their efforts were never discussed. Once again, the answer is the same: speak the truth in love.When a spouse begins to believe they are no longer loved, the marriage is placed in serious danger. But there is hope. Ask Jesus to help you communicate with your spouse—to listen with compassion, speak with grace, and love selflessly—so your marriage can reflect the life and joy God intended.
Prayer – Lord, your plan is good, thank you for marriage. I pray that our greatest joy would be knowing you and that through our relationship with you, we would have great relationships with our spouses.
What are you doing? Do it better 