The "D" word

It is a major thing when a marriage splits up. To me this is worse than a death tragedy-wise. Do you remember my post the other day about Miss Jean and her questions? Well, she told me that getting a divorce for her was worse she thought than it would have been if she suffered the loss of her husband through death. The woman that gets on her nerves so badly actually lost her husband to death around the same time as Miss Jean's divorce. I've been thinking quite a bit about this and when I hear of either situation it grieves me for the one left behind, but in very different ways.

You know when I hear that a husband or wife has lost their partner it makes me feel very sad for the spouse left behind. If the deceased is a Christian the grief comes and even though it never goes away the Bible does prepare us for it and reminds us that when we die we are only sleeping until Christ comes again. There is hope-- a knowing that for sure the beloved is with Jesus. We couldn't be too sad about that aspect-- even though I do not want Ernie to fly off to Jesus anytime soon!

When I hear of someone contemplating divorce my heart grieves for them in a different way. It is almost like the fervent prayer for healing when someone has come down with cancer. The hope here is in healing and the fear is in the loss of the battle (the battle with principalities of darkness not of flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12)). There is a major difference though between divorce and death. Divorce is man made; death is, well, God made. Thank God for Jesus that death is not the end. You know what for that matter, thank God for Jesus because I suppose divorce is not the end.

I have a friend (who reads my blog so I will not name names-- I love you my dearest) who is struggling with this as I write. This as well as Miss Jean's questions and today's sermon are what prompted me to write this. This morning at church our intern (Caleb Gilmore-- minister at Post Oak Springs Christian Church in Rockwood, TN) spoke on 1 Thesselonians 5: 14&15: 14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

As he spoke he said a few things that really made me think. (This is especially relevent in light of the recent upheaval in the Tri-Cities due to the threat of the Westboro Baptist Church's protest at a military funeral here in town.) He said, "If people see the Name of Christ involved in sinful activity then the Name of Christ is damaged." In the instance of the WBC, they for one are using the Name of Christ to spread their hate message, and for two are causing Christians to stumble by being provoked to anger and retaliation, and for three they are making the Name of Christ a mockery in the media and to unbelievers. In the case of Christians getting divorced, cheating, lying, gossiping... committing any sin while wearing His name it causes Christians to not be set apart from the world. We are supposed to be different, peaceful, getting along with everyone as far as it concerns us, turning the other cheek to offenders... You know-- "IT IS NOT ABOUT ME IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS". This is what we say every Sunday morning committing our worship to Jesus. Maybe we should preface all of our moments with this motto. My marriage is not about me it is all about Jesus. My parenting is not about me it is all about Jesus. My work is not about me it is all about Jesus. My life is not about me it is all about Jesus. My doing this dreaded laundry is not about me it is all about Jesus.
 
Satan takes everything good and perverts it into something he can use to disturb God. He is able to use Jesus' Name against Jesus when "Christians" become disquieted (1 Timothy 2, 1 Peter 3:4, 1 Thess. 4:11-12). By disquieted I mean, sending hate messages in protest of a war or sin, bombing abortion clinics to protest the sin of killing babies, being fed up and giving up hope... there are so many ways disquieted Christians (who wear the name of Christ) can damage the Name of Jesus.

Here is what Caleb said... "we should be willing to be treated unfairly-- to elevate others above ourselves". This ends the cycle of sin. We become a part of the solution instead of the problem (Romans 12:17). Paul says, "Why not rather be wronged" than to damage the Name of Christ? Christians should be willing to take a punch for the Name of Christ, look what He did for us. It takes a stronger person to end a fight/dispute and thus stop the cycle of sin than to engage the sin in further rounds.Our encouragment comes in the FACT that The Holy Spirit is in us giving us the capability to accept being treated unfairly, He makes us strong.

We need to encourage each other, admonish/warn each other, help each other and be patient with each other AND EVERYONE Paul says in 1 Thess. 5:14.