By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
My personal divorce reflects sin’s violent fracture of marital, cosmic, and divine peace. I urge fidelity, repentance, and fleeing temptation always.
In 1982 I got married. In 1986 I got divorced. Unwillingly. He had found another woman and left our marriage for her.
It was traumatic, a splitting apart I never knew could cause such pain. It happened pre-salvation but now I know why it hurt so bad, when a man and a woman marry they become one flesh under God. Divorce is a violent act. It hurts to yank apart one flesh back into two, and they are never the same again.
In the creation, Adam and Eve existed in tranquility and prosperity with the world around them. They were at peace with the animals. They were at peace with the elements. They were at peace with each other. Most important, they were at peace with God. This peace, however, was shattered by sin. The fracturing nature of sin was manifested in the animosity and hostility that developed between humanity and the rest of creation.
Because of sin, Adam and Eve were no longer at peace with nature or with each other. Because of sin, Eve would experience suffering and pain in childbirth, and Adam would experience callouses through rough labor and mind-numbing frustration in working to earn a living for himself and his family. Furthermore, the tranquility of their marital relationship was broken. The once loving, mutually prosperous relationship would now be marked by selfish, sinful desires and ambitions (Genesis 3:16-19).
Because of sin, peace in the world was broken. Worst of all, because of sin, peace with God was no more. In speaking of this fractured peace and resulting enmity, Wilhelmus à Brakel wrote:
Due to sin there was enmity between God and man (Rom. 5:10). Sin made a separation between them both, causing God to hide His countenance from man (Is. 59:2). God hates the sinner and abhors him (Psa. 5:5-6); the face of the Lord is against him (Psa. 34:16), and His wrath is ready to destroy him (Rom. 2:5-6, 9). Conversely, man from his side has no desire after God (Job 21:14), does not delight in Him (Job 34:9), and hates God (Rom. 1:30). “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Rom. 8:7).
Sin is not worth it! The carnal mind creates all these seeming delights, a desire for the new, a rejection of the routine and sometimes mundanity of married life. Don’t fall for it. Sin never satisfies. Flee from anything that can trouble, impact, or destroy your marriage.
Think of Joseph fleeing from Mrs. Potiphar:
“How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?” But he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside. (Genesis 39:9b; 12b).
Under God’s structure, a marriage that thrives in His boundaries is a beautiful thing. And why not? Marriage is a picture of God and His Bride, the church. Protect your marriage at all costs. Love your husband and help him.
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