Mark 10:2-16 (NRSV)
Read Mark 10:2-16 on biblegateway.com
Verse 2Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" Verse 3He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" Verse 4They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." Verse 5But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. Verse 6But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' Verse 7'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, Verse 8and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Verse 9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
Verse 10Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. Verse 11He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; Verse 12and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
Verse 13People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. Verse 14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Verse 15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." Verse 16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Devotion
How do we talk about divorce in a society where roughly 50 percent of marriages end in divorce? Jesus tells his followers that divorce isn’t an option. His pronouncement was meant to protect women in an age when women had few rights, as well as to discourage families and communities from feuding.
Yet divorce continues. The pain and struggle of one flesh torn asunder continues. Families, communities and individuals continue to suffer in, through and after divorce.
Jesus’ call to discipleship maybe gets at one of the greatest tests in marriage. The call to serve, care for, love, forgive and put the other first must be put into practice if a marriage is to survive. Maybe the surprise is that divorce only happens 50 percent of the time! So our task becomes celebrating those marriages that last – while sharing kingdom values of forgiveness, grace and love with those marriages that don’t.
Prayer
Gracious God, we give you thanks for the gift of marriage and ask your blessing upon those who hang in and strive to make it work. For those unable to make marriage work, give them, their families and their communities the power to forgive. Let your suffering presence bring healing and hope. Amen.