today's meditation (Dt.24:1-5) Working on Marriage

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word...)

(Deuteronomy 24:1-22)  “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, 2 and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.

5 “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

From other scriptures, we know that divorce is never God's will.  He desires that we go into marriage with the right person.  Both husband and wife should desire to work on the marriage to make it work.  And it is - even in the best scenarios - a lot of work!!!  And it takes BOTH working on the marriage.

And let me just say, working on the marriage is not about trying to get your own way.  It is not about what you get out of marriage, but what you put into it.  It is not about seeking your own happiness, but as verse 5 says, we are to give happiness.  We are to serve one other.  

When both people are giving 100%, then both will be receiving 100%.  And as both grow closer to God, both will grow closer to each other in God's unconditional, sacrificial love and strength... with a continued desire to work on the marriage.  Marriage isn't a fairy tale which ends happily ever after.  I can't say it enough - marriage is work - and it is until one dies.  But when it works, it is so worth it!