For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
When I was a young man in the sixties, I was drafted into the Army. It was a whirlwind experience. The entire time was dedication to country and doing what you were told to do. Over my three year, three month and 2 day experience, I met many good people with the same dedication. As adults we experience dedication and duty at many times in our lives.
This Gospel is hard for me. My sister was married to a man for 17 years. He was abusive on her wedding night and the abuse didn’t stop until she finally left him after he threatened to hurt one of her children. Let’s get one thing straight.
God does not want a marriage to be abusive and He does not expect you to stay in an abusive situation.
My sister to her credit tried to make her marriage work. They went to counseling but it didn’t work because my sister was the only one who tried to make the relationship work. Divorce was the only option left.
My dad blamed me for introducing my sister to him, but I said. I tried to fix her up with a date. He was a guy I worked with. I didn’t know my soon to be brother-in-law very well. I only tried to introduce her to someone to go out with and have a good time. Our family soon learned his real personality.
In our first reading from the Book of Joshua speaks of dedication of the many people that formed people of Israel from a whirlwind of chaos to a great nation and a people who served the Lord.
Joshua 24:15 I know not course what others my take but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. This is one of my favorite Bible quotes. I even have the quote on the light switch plate that comes into our bedroom. Our readings today stop just short of this quote but it does tie together all the readings. Joshua also says today. I gave you a land you have not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant. Grace given freely.
As a people of faith we are one nation that God has built by His grace. As Christians we may live in India, France, Ireland, Canada, Mexico or the United States but we are one people who serve the Lord wherever we live. Our Churches and Communities were built by others from prior generations who with dedication and faithful service to a loving and faithful God. We today are the beneficiaries of those gifts.
We may be blessed in life to be married to a wonderful spouse or you could be married to someone that is not so wonderful. You can be single person who dedicates yourself to others or a single person that is self-indulgent and selfish or a single person who is lonely. We can be happy or sad with our choices in life. We are still the beneficiaries of the gifts of prior generations, but make no mistake. God does not want any of us to live in an abusive situation.
What does God want?
God does want us to be happy, but His idea of happy might be serving Him as a single individual. I was a 55 year old man who had never married before I met a wonderful widow who had lost her husband 4 years prior. That was 21 years ago. Even if we have never married, we would both have served the Lord in some way. The greatest gift we can give to future generations is the service we do today. We received gifts that we did not earn but we give freely and lovingly to others that have not earned it either. It is our legacy to the world we live.
Not all marriages work. My Mom and Dad, my Uncles and Aunts, my wife and I had wonderful marriages that were and are not perfect, but divorce is not perfect either. Both my sister’s children are divorced from their respective spouses.
I told you this was not easy for me.
Whatever relation we are given as grace in our lives we need to be dedicated and and commited to God. Just like Joshua we need to serve the Lord. We can do this to God’s glory as a single or married individual. It takes work and dedication on every ones part to make it successful. Most importantly it takes a relationship with Jesus.
God Love you always
Bob Burford
PS: Please pray for Paul, Kathryn and Anna who have Cancer.
Picture Credit: “Wedding Rings” by allyrose18 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
