Love Protects

Read Deuteronomy 24
 
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
 
LET’S see these and other words around divorce as God’s loving grace to protect you.
    In that time and culture of this law, it was easy for a man to discard his wife. God’s command protects the wife from a husband’s spontaneous emotions to divorce. He also protects a husband from a disagreeable wife. “Disagreeable” is understood as one who is morally corrupt. The divorce certificate required a process that included review before the town’s elders. This could cause a husband to stop and think, “Is this really best?” Remarriage to the first husband was also forbidden to protect the woman. “After she has been defiled” refers to the man victimizing the woman.
    Divorce also protects one’s relationship with God. He does not want unbelievers married to believers: 1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. The LORD divorced Israel for their unbelief. Isaiah 50:1 This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away…because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.” Israel’s exile to Babylon was as a husband divorcing his wife. We can thank God he allowed Israel to return to him.
    Remember marriage completed God’s perfect creation. Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Yes, marriage is a loving partnership designed to protect one another. But sadly, marriage is also the first human relationship corrupted in sin’s curse: Genesis 3:16b “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”  In other words, a wife and husband will be in conflict as she seeks to gain control of the marriage relationship. Yet, the order of authority begins with the man, who is to care for his wife as Christ cares for his church (Ephesians 5).
    God-centered love is love that protects one another:1 Corinthians 13:7 Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. When you live in love with God, you will live in love with one another. Understand marriage has come from God. Treat it as the holy and loving gift it is.
 
Ephesians 5:5 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.