Glued Together

"And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart."
Matthew 19:6 (The Message)

What do you do when you feel permanently stuck with the person you married?

In today’s verse, Pharisees come to Jesus trying to trap Him with questions about marriage. He responds with one unbreakable statement: "...no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart." That phrase used here for union literally means glued. Not loosely connected. And not together until it becomes inconvenient. Glued.

I once received an email from a woman who nearly missed that truth entirely. She had already started divorce proceedings against her husband when she gave her life to Jesus. A woman who discipled her handed her the Scriptures on marriage, and she stopped the paperwork. Her feelings told her that if she could not keep a promise to God, she would never keep one with anyone. She stayed married forty years. The Lord had just called her husband home when she wrote to tell me.

Marriage is not what culture joins, or about love, or even about law. It is what God joins, and He does not let go the moment it gets hard.

The next time you feel like walking out of a hard conversation with your spouse instead of through it, stop and pray. Remember that you signed a covenant, not a contract. And apart from the circumstances Scripture itself makes room for, the God who called you to stay will give you the grace to do so. 

You may feel stuck today, but glued is exactly where God intends you to be, and He is not letting go.

Prayer: Lord, some days marriage feels less like a gift and more like a sentence. Remind me that You're the One holding us together and it’s not my own strength. Forgive me for my contempt, and give me grace to keep a soft heart toward my spouse. Help me stay wholeheartedly when staying is hard. In Jesus' Name, Amen.