Passion is ignited at the wedding when two people say “I do.” Too many couples, however, leave God at the altar as they attempt to keep their vows. Without God marriage becomes loveless because only God is the true source of love in married life. According to the US Census bureau, the divorce rate nationwide is 9.5% averaged between men and women. Georgia has the highest divorce rate in the past 12 months at an average of 14.4%. The marriage percentile averaged an 18%. According to the bureau there were 2,478,605 marriages and 1,159,308 divorces. The ratio between these statistics presents a divorce rate at 51.6%. It’s so awful that it is heavily affecting us within the church. The problem is so serious that we as a whole church have become complacent about divorce and remarriage. Jesus still matters. What He says is binding on Christians and non-Christians alike. Hear Jesus as He taught the disciples.

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? (4)  And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (5)  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (6)  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (7)  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? (8)  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. (9)  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (10)  His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. (Matthew 19:3-10 KJV)

The clearly presented formula in verse nine is:
Divorce + Remarriage = Adultery
(Except in the case where fornication was the cause of the divorce)
The disciples were struck by this strictness. It’s still a hard lesson to accept today. Nevertheless, it is what our Master said. God still hates divorce (Malachi 2:16).  The only place to succeed in marriage is with God as the head of the family.
God is love. We derive this love in our marriages by tapping into the Bible and learning the Lord’s pattern for a healthy and long lasting relationship. We receive love by God’s blessings consequent to yielding the teachings of His divine grace (Titus 2:11-13). Everything that pertains to doing what He teaches us is worth applying to our relationship with our spouse. The qualities listed in 1 Corinthians 13 are lessons to be taken to heart. It is selfishness that has led so many to divorce, and that is sad.

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16 KJV).

If we can lay down our life for our spouse then we really love him or her. A loveless marriage can be revived. I believe that nearly all couples who stand before the preacher to be married are convinced they will be with their beloved for the rest of their lives. The commitment is real and the love is passionate. For every two marriages, however, there is one divorce. This break of ties can be stopped if the couple will take the wisdom of God and apply it to their marriage. So many just play church on Sunday and walk out leaving God behind. A closer walk with the Lord will lead everyone into blessings, in every relationship we have. It’s vital that we gain love God’s way in wedlock.

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:23-25 KJV).

What God has joined together let no person put asunder! Let’s keep the key in that wedlock – Jesus Christ.
 
-Donny Weimar