The “D”-Word

## Hard Hearts

Wow! Not a simple devotion to write. It includes the word “divorce”, and Luke appears to be as interested in writing about as I am; one verse and no explanation and moves on. What is divorce? It’s another “sin” that God tells us not to do, because He’s trying to spare us the heartbreak and the life break of ourselves and others. It’s another sin He forgives us for, and it’s another sin other sinners will hold against us. According to His Word, YHWH God understands the pain of divorce; He’s been there (Jeremiah 3). He speaks the heart issue of unfaithfulness on through Jeremiah 4:4. So when God came to earth as a man, He chose to remain a “eunuch for the sake of the kingdom” (Matt. 19:10-12). Matthew lays out Luke’s statement in long form adding “on the ground of sexual immorality” as a qualifier, but He still brings the heart of divorce back around to “hardness of heart” (Matt. 19). This phrase is also linked to unwillingness to help others (Mark 3), unbelief (Mark 16), and as an opposing concept to Christian unity, spiritual maturity, and Christlikeness (Ephesians 4). Hardness of heart causes these too.

## Encouragement for Real People

There’s no easy cut and dried way to apply this cut and dried verse about a complex subject matter, but divorce is preached on like every other sin; the preacher with no link to it yells louder- and prouder... (The sin of pride is the one he’s often quieter about.) I can give you a little anti-divorce advice, because I’ve been there. Don’t use the “D”-word. You may not normally think of it, but while dating my (second) Wife, we had to literally translate every word we wanted to say. There was no room for small talk and no time for

translating unimportant words. I learned 결혼 (marriage) back then, but I saw it as a great opportunity from the beginning and did not learn the word “divorce” in Korean. We don’t need it.

## Self-Check

God doesn’t want the unhappy prospect of divorce for you. He doesn’t want mankind doing a lot of things we do, but He used divorce to draw me to Him. Thankfully, He’s in the business of using screwed up sinners who messed up their lives. God can use filthy divorcees just like He uses rotten liars, dirty thieves, and all manner of stinkin’ gutter trash sinners to work in His Kingdom. After all, it’s the only people He has to choose from. Life is hard. Marriage is hard! Hearts can be harder. But God is bigger and stronger than all the many ways we ruin our lives. If you’re a saved sinner with an imperfect past, people will reject you… God will employ you. Just be willing.

## No Second Chance