MALACHI 2:16

“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.

TO PONDER

You might get sick of me saying this by the end of the week, but here it goes... The picture of marriage that God presents in the Bible is more than just about the relationship between a husband and wife. It's also a metaphor of His relationship with us.

Despite the cultural differences between modern day Australia and Old Testament Israel, there are still some underlying truths that hold regarding marriage. In most wedding vows made in Australian marriages there is usually some kind of promise of mutual care and honour and often protection. Implied in the marriage is the expectation that your partner will have your back, defend your honour and take a stand for you when you are not present or are unable to defend and protect yourself.

This too is Jesus role as a groom to His bride, the church. So often we feel like we have to defend ourselves and the gospel message and sometimes these days we might even feel we have to defend the very existence of the Christian church. But it is Christ who defends his bride. We can trust and rely on Jesus to vindicate and defend us when we live as his people in the world.

If we are going to live the love of Jesus in our marriages and in our communities, then we must consider how we use our gifts and strengths to support and defend those who cannot defend or help themselves and we have to draw close to, and speak well of, those God has given us to love and care for rather than turning to hateful or disrespectful speech that drives them away and causes separation between us.

PRAYER: Lord God, Please help me to control my tongue and my temper. Help me to keep all unwholesome talk from coming out of my mouth and help me only to speak words of praise and encouragement. Give me the courage to stand and defend those who you call me to protect and serve and always to act towards others in ways that promote life and love instead of destroying it. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle