Marriage Genesis 2

A major national newspaper featured a front page story stating that divorce amongst the over 60s had become prevalent.  Reasons given were early retirement leading to boredom at home, and the ability to travel and mix.

At one time divorce at such an age was very seldom.  I can imagine some heartbreaking stories could be told of one partner in the marriage being deserted in older age after many years of fidelity on their part.  Whilst both sexes can be at blame, I imagine it is more likely that it is a man feeling he is still young at heart and being attracted to a younger more glamorous model, although one often reads of some woman falling for a toy boy who will soon deprive her of her wealth.  In either case much sympathy must be felt for the aggrieved partner. 

Much of this sort of behaviour emanates from a lax view of marriage, a lack of religious belief, and the fact that so many people of all ages are completely influenced by what they see on television where sexual activity is portrayed as being an essential of life, and viewers are unable to separate fiction from reality. 

If we turn to the Bible marriage was given in the first book, Genesis, where God made man and then said it was not good for him to be alone and He would give man a helper.  God wanted to ease man’s loneliness and give him someone he could love and no other relationship is as special or more profound.  God said the man should leave his parents and ‘cleave’ to his wife, in other words be bound to her for life, spending their lives committed to each other.

It is important to note that whilst marriage is referred to in both Old and New Testaments, it always refers to a man and a woman, there is no authority for marriage between two people of the same sex; that is a device of society and it is sad that our Prime Minister, a (nominal) Conservative should be so intent on making ‘gay marriage’ an ‘urgent priority.’ 

Marriage was God’s gift to humanity and sometimes it goes wrong when two incompatible personalities are together or when one strays to someone else, even when one partner is subject to violent behaviour.  Such causes may inevitably lead to divorce. 

Today marriage is seen by a lot of people as outdated and unnecessary.  Why bother when you can live just as well co-habiting?  Recent court cases have shown how perilous this can be for a woman.  Other people marry without much thought, thinking if it goes wrong there is always divorce, which has been made so easy despite the disasters caused to children the product of such marriages. 

Of course adultery is now commonplace and some feel they should not be restricted to one woman or man.  Television stories are full of such behaviour and celebrities act likewise. So why not copy?

The Bible is quite clear that marriage is for life and makes that on the strongest way, in the words. , “What God has joined together, let man not separate” which is telling us God never meant there to be divorce.