Why Do It?

Malachi 2 talks about our Father…and divorce…and what it says when we break covenant with our spouse.

Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?

Lots of debate happens, even in church, over whether or not a particular couple has “the right” to divorce.  I have friends and family now, at this moment, considering separation and divorce.  I don’t like it.  I don’t think anyone really likes divorce, but it happens…even to those who love Him.

This verse says we “profane” the covenant by being unfaithful to one another.  Many agree that being unfaithful is grounds for divorce.  But have we ever considered that divorce itself is being unfaithful to one another? 

To profane something is to treat it with irreverence or disrespect.  I saw a movie recently where a young couple who were dating said they knew they would eventually divorce, after they married. They expected it, because their parents had divorced, and after all – it’s the norm.

God in his three parts is yet one – we teach that and know it.  He never breaks covenant with himself, and we are his children – he is our Father.  So when we break covenant with a spouse we are disrespecting the unity of the very essence of who we are in Him.

Divorce is not something to be entered into lightly, and neither is marriage.  Covenants and promises are heard and taken to heart by both parties when the “I do” is said.

Is divorce inevitable, expected, and justified nowadays?  Instead, let’s ask ourselves how we can strengthen our oneness with Him, and see how it affects our oneness with each other.

The Position of Clay

Isaiah 64 says “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter;we are all the work of your hand.”

I’ve grown up singing songs about being clay in the Potter’s hands, where we ask Him to mold us and make us into vessels he can use.  And I’ve seen the painting of the old potter’s hands as he takes a broken vessel, reshapes, reforms, and makes it brand new.  I get it.

But is there more to this verse than that?

I like the positional truth of this verse – He’s the potter, the one who turns the wheel, decides on the ingredients of the vessel, and has a shape in mind for each one – unique and beautiful.  I, on the other hand, am the clay.  I cannot make myself into anything unless the Potter takes me into his loving hands.  I dare not tell the Potter what ingredients to use, or the use of my future shape and purpose, or even complain at the time it takes to mold me, shape me, fire me, and use me.

It’s He who knows our future and holds it in his hands.  If we realize His position as One who looks over and cares for us so gently and completely, and our position as one whose only job is to remain pliable – we might find that His hands feel good as he puts us on the wheel and spins us round and round.

Yes, I know He’s the Potter and I’m the clay, but I also really like it that way. (No rhyme intended.)

His Name

Isaiah 9 describes God like this:

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Think of the qualities you would like to have in a “perfect” father.  Wouldn’t it be cool if you could go to him with any question or need for direction, and He would know just what to tell you to do?  And wouldn’t it be cool if your father was so strong and powerful that he could protect you and carry you when you needed it?  And what if your Father never died?  He could be with you always.  And while you’re with him, you’re always his princess and you always sleep in peace in his Kingdom, knowing it’s well guarded and secure.

Those are just a few of the qualities and characteristics of your Heavenly Father.  Try calling out these names to him aloud and ascribing to Him your faith, attaching it to who He is.

And see if you don’t sleep better tonight…

Love...amazing

I love these verses found in Psalm 103:

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.

What a great illustration of the perfect love of our Father.

He removes our sin to a place that cannot be found, nor recovered, nor remembered.  We might remember it but He does not.

That’s amazing love.

He has compassion that moves Him to act on our behalf because we are his children.

That’s amazing love.

He made us and knows we are weak, and he relishes that weakness, because it’s then that he can show us His mighty strength.

That’s amazing love.

Feeling guilty? In need of vindication?  A bit weakened by a strong storm?

Feel the love.

A Trio of Truth

You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.

Just three little phrases strung together in a sentence say so much.

You belong to Him when you believe in Him and who He is.  And as a daughter, everything He has is yours.

He’s not just “the” God of the universe, the God of the ages, or the God of saints, but he’s YOUR God.  He’s personal and real. 

What symbolism appears here!  Can you see a huge boulder in the middle of a stream that has been there for years and years, immovable, glistening in the light, and a place of refuge where you can rest when the current gets too strong?  That’s God!  

He has rescued you and he’s as solid as solid can be.

If you pray nothing else today but this verse, pray it slowly and sincerely and believe it.  Then rejoice at the truth in you.

Father God

Psalm 68 says this, A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

June houses the weekend that hosts Father’s Day.  For many, that day is a hard one to swallow – especially if relationship with a father is strained, a father is gone, or a father is not fatherly.

I learned early on that the way we view our earthly fathers translates to the way we view our heavenly Father.  That’s great, if we have an attentive, loving earthly father.  But it’s not so great if we don’t.

God is not like our earthly fathers.  Even if our fathers abandon us, He won’t.  Even if we feel we have no one to take care of us, He is our advocate.  And when we feel alone, His presence never leaves us.  He leads us out of whatever imprisons us…into a prosperous place.

Don’t rebel against Father God.  God is Love.  And His love will quench your thirsty soul.  All you have to do is be.

The Winning Card

James 2 says “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” 

This statement comes after the story of seeing someone enter a room who appears to look well and act well, and offering them the choice seat, but at the same time ignoring and debasing the one who enters poorly dressed and looks bad.

Judgment of others and the way they look is part of our society.  Kids start judging others’ looks from the time they learn to point. “Look daddy, she looks funny,” a child might say about another child with a different color of skin.  It’s born in us to criticize and judge, so that we set ourselves up above others, in order to feel better than them.

However, though we are born with the inclination to judge and show favoritism, God clearly has something that trumps that. Just like playing card games, there’s always a hand, or a specific card, that beats all others and the one holding that hand or card wins the game.

Jesus holds the card of “mercy.” He died for all sinners, all of us who are born with a pointing finger.  And his mercy triumphs over judgment.

If you still look at people and judge them by their outward appearance, ask Jesus if you can draw from his hand and receive the card of mercy, so that you can play the game and win.