You cover the Lord’s altar with tears. Malachi 2:13 (ESV)

In his book Death of a Marriage, Pat Conroy said there are no metaphors powerful enough to describe the moment when you tell your children about a divorce. “To look into the eyes of your children and to tell them that you are mutilating their family and changing all their tomorrows is an act of desperate courage that I never want to repeat. It is also their parents’ last act of solidarity and the absolute sign that the marriage is over. It felt as though I had doused my family with gasoline and struck a match.”

Strong words from a person who’s been there, yes – but it’s also an accurate indication of the same grieving emotions the Lord feels when a couple chooses divorce. This is why God hates divorce; He understands the devastation it brings for the man and woman, and especially for the children impacted by the decision. In the passage surrounding today’s verse, God expresses His pain to the priests of Levi who have committed divorce, exhorting them to “guard” themselves in their spirits and not be faithless to their marriage covenant.

If you are considering divorce, strive to reconcile with your spouse. If you are already divorced and experiencing the consequences for you and your children, realize that God knows your grief, shares it, and endures in His love for you and ability to help you through your pain. Turn to Him as your one hope for healing.

Today’s ONE THING:

Remove one influence from your life that is undermining and endangering your most precious family relationships.

Going Deeper

Psalm 119:50-76; Malachi 2:1-18

For additional encouragement related to today’s devotional