Divorce

One of the greatest evils plaguing our society is divorce. Divorce destroys what God has joined together, tears apart families, isolates and damages children, and gives license to the self-seeking nature inside every one of us.

No marriage is perfect. Because every husband and every wife without exception is a sinner, each needs to ask forgiveness and speak forgiveness daily. In order for husbands and wives to have this forgiveness to speak to each other, they must constantly be on the receiving end of God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ, distributed in Word and Sacrament. Since God forgives us freely, fully, and unconditionally in Christ, we too sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us. Sadly, most divorces are caused by the unwillingness of either one or both spouses to forgive the other. That is downright sinful.

Marriage, according to God’s Word, is the lifelong commitment of one man and one woman. God is the one who joins husband and wife together. And no one is to separate what God has joined together. Some will argue: God allows divorce in a few narrowly defined circumstances (i.e. adultery, desertion). Yes, that is true. But only because of the hardness of man’s heart, says Jesus. Whatever the problems, God wants husband and wife to be reconciled with one another. Always!

Let’s be honest. Most divorces are for sinful, selfish reasons, no matter how pious the justification seems. Here is a sampling of the most common false justifications:

• I no longer love him/her.
• I love someone else.
• We cannot reconcile our differences.
• We grew apart.
• We seem happier when we’re apart.
• God wants me to be happy, and I’m not happy in this marriage.

If that is what you think, get over yourself. Get down on your knees and seek the Lord while He may be found. Confess the many things you have said and done, as well as the many things you have failed to say and do, that have contributed to the difficulties in your marriage. And then, after having received God’s forgiveness in Christ, speak that same forgiveness to your less-than-perfect spouse.

A marriage patterned after the relationship of Christ and His bride (the Church), and built on mutual commitment, mutual forgiveness, and mutual self-giving, is a happy marriage. This is true in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad.

If you’ve lost sight of that, it can be found again. Indeed, it must be found again. Talk to your spouse. Ask forgiveness. Speak forgiveness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Solicit your pastor’s help and guidance. And be found regularly and faithfully on the receiving end of Christ’s Word and Supper. It may be a difficult journey back to a happy marriage, but it is well worth the time and effort, the forgiveness and patience necessary to make it happen. By God’s grace, be reconciled in Christ!

“Let marriage be held in honor among all.”

[Hebrews 13:4]

Only God’s Work

Every psalm, all Scripture, calls to grace, extols grace, searches for Christ, and praises only God’s work, while rejecting all the works of man. ...

Now someone might say to me: “Can’t you ever do anything but speak only about the righteousness, wisdom, and strength of God rather than of man, always expounding Scripture from the standpoint of God’s righteousness and grace, always harping on the same string and singing the same old song?” To this I answer: ...

Whenever I found anything less in the Scriptures than Christ, I was never satisfied; but whenever I found more than Christ, I never became poorer. Therefore it seems to me to be true that God the Holy Spirit does not know and does not want to know anything besides Jesus Christ.

Martin Luther

Luther’s Works XIV 196, 204

Wrongful Birth?

An Oregon couple was recently awarded $2.9 million in a “wrongful birth” lawsuit against the health system that misdiagnosed their daughter as not having Down syndrome during a prenatal screening. In a recent article published by ABC News, this couple states they would have terminated the pregnancy had they known they would have a special-needs child.

What does this say about human worth? Are special-needs children not worth our time and attention, our love and care? Are special-needs children now synonymous with defective parts that can be discarded at will? Are special-needs children less human than so-called “normal” people?

Decades ago we denounced those who took it into their own hands to produce an ideal race. Today we celebrate selfish parents who are taking it into their own hands to produce an ideal child.

In contrast to humanity’s godlessness, the Triune God demonstrates true love. Though we brought sin and death into God’s very good creation, He didn’t abort us. On the contrary. He promised a Savior and then delivered on that promise. Though we were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), He “shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). For “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10). Simply put, God is merciful and compassionate. He loves the unlovable. He loves you and me.

I pray our gracious Lord will turn the hearts of these parents, so that this little girl with Down syndrome will grow up to be loved unconditionally for the beautiful creation she in God’s eyes. All life has value to God. I hope we will learn to value it just as highly!

Saint Patrick

Today is the Feast of Saint Patrick. For most, this day is defined solely by green clothes, parades, parties, corned beef and cabbage, shamrocks, leprechauns, and/or Guinness. Sadly, most know little about the pastor behind the name and his faithful proclamation of the Holy Trinity. Take the time to learn. Imitate Patrick’s faith and charity. Like him, you too are a sinner by nature and a saint by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Patrick is one of the best-known of the missionary saints. Born to a Christian family in Britain around the year AD 389 he was captured as a teenager by raiders, taken to Ireland, and forces to serve as a herdsman. After six years, he escaped and found his way to a monastery community in France. Ordained a bishop, it is believed that Patrick made his way back to Ireland in the summer of 433, and there spent the rest of his long life spreading the Gospel and organizing Christian communities. He strongly defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in a time when it was not popular to do so. His literary legacy includes his autobiography, Confession, and several prayers and hymns still used in the Church today. At least one tradition states that Patrick died in Ireland on March 17 around the year AD 466.

[Treasury of Daily Prayer 1285-1286]

A Prayer for “Our Family”

Lord Jesus, You do not want Your followers to pursue the way to heaven alone, but rather to associate with one another and found congregations; to establish in their midst the office that proclaims the message of reconciliation and administers the holy Sacraments; to gather at Your house to hear Your Word, make use of Your Sacraments, unite in prayer and song; and as spiritual priests to edify, teach, admonish, warn, rebuke, and comfort one another.

We pray You, let this congregation, indeed every member of it, realize what benefits we enjoy in that we are permitted to manage the affairs of a Christian congregation undisturbed.

Create within every one of us a mind and a willingness to cheerfully bring our offerings for the maintenance and extension of this congregation.

Above all, bless our congregation for the good of our souls and the souls of our children and let it be an influence for good in this entire city; indeed, make of our congregation itself a city set on a high hill, which will send its beams of light into the surrounding country by its testimony to the truth, its deeds of love toward all, and especially toward those who are of the household of faith.

Hear us for Your own sake. Amen.

[C.F.W. Walther, For the Life of the Church, 143-144]

Sex Has Consequences

Contraception. It’s the hot topic right now. But behind all the hype and political posturing is this forgotten fact: Sex has consequences. Always. Contraception doesn’t change that.

While much could be said about certain medical conditions, as well as family planning within marriage, this post is aimed solely at those who are single, engaged, and/or looking for some action.

Are you a single man? Keep it in your pants.

Are you a single woman? Just say “No.”

It’s really that simple.

Women, do you really think he loves you just because he sleeps with you? Seriously? It’s called biology. What’s driving his actions is not his heart. Nor his mind. It’s his libido. You are little more than his sex object if he hasn’t publicly pledged himself to you for life.

Men, do you really think so little of her that you’ll use her without publicly pledging yourself to her for life? Seriously? Grow up. You’re not the stud you think you are. Playing with her emotions shows just how shallow and self-centered you are. You know better.

Sex has consequences. Among them are possible pregnancy (even with contraception), an intimate connection (and too often the heartbreak, guilt, and shame that follows), and sexually transmitted diseases (your partner could be a petri dish of nasty stuff).

So let’s be honest. Sex is a good gift from God. But it is to enjoyed only within marriage, between a man and a woman who have pledged themselves to one another for life. Period. But do not rush into marriage just to have sex, or because your heart is pitter-pattering, or because you think you know what love is. Speak to your pastor and ask him to help the two of you build a rock-solid, Christ-centered foundation for your marriage. Without such a foundation, you are building little more than a house of cards.

Men, learn from Christ. Love your bride. Put her needs first. Be willing to sacrifice and give yourself up for her. Have and hold her. Be faithful to her: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death parts you, according to God’s holy will.

Women, learn from the Church. Love your husband. Put his needs first. As he sacrifices for you, reciprocate that sacrifice for him. Be faithful to him: for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death parts you, according to God’s holy will.

Sex within marriage. Exclusively. Don’t shrug it off as archaic. It comes from the perfect will and word of the Triune God, whose nature is perfect love!

YAHWEH: I AM

The most frequent name for God in the Old Testament is Yahweh (I AM). The Hebrew name יהוה‎ (YHWH) is often called the tetragrammaton, meaning “four letters.” Because this name was so sacred to God’s people of old, they feared misusing it and therefore never uttered it out loud.

The name Yahweh comes from God Himself. When Moses, at the burning bush, asked God by what name He desired to be called, He answered: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). This name first occurs in Genesis 2:4 and is used more than 6,800 times in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament Scriptures. Many English Bibles translate this sacred title as LORD, using all capital letters.

The people of Jesus’ day knew how God had revealed His sacred name I AM in the burning bush and how Moses preached in the name of HE IS. Though they never uttered this name, Jesus did. In fact, He repeatedly described Himself using the phrase I AM. Here are the instances in which Jesus uses the designation I AM in Saint John’s Gospel:

• “I AM, the one speaking to you” [4:26]
• “I AM; do not be afraid” [6:20]
• “I AM the bread of life” [6:35, 41, 48, 51]
• “I AM the light of the world” [8:12]
• “unless you believe that I AM” [8:24]
• “when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM” [8:28]
• “before Abraham was, I AM” [8:58]
• “I AM the door of the sheep” [10:7, 9]
• “I AM the good shepherd” [10:11, 14]
• “I AM the resurrection and the life” [11:25]
• “that you might believe ... that I AM” [13:19]
• “I AM the way and the truth and the life” [14:6]
• “I AM the true vine” [15:1, 5]
• “I AM” [18:5-6, 8]

Christians believe Jesus is Yahweh, the great I AM. Jesus says so. Saint John’s Gospel emphasizes this truth. Jesus is Yahweh in human flesh and blood, born to save His people from their sins!

See The Lutheran Study Bible, pp. 1784-1785, to learn more about the seven major I AM statements of Jesus.