Standing For Traditional Marriage

Wants again just sharing my heart...

What an awesome showing of support of the CEO of Chik-fil-a yesterday.  Way to go everybody that went to stand in long lines to show your support for "traditional" marriage!  However, I chose not to go.  Not because I don't support "traditional" marriage, but I just could not bring myself or my family to stand in long lines to show support for marriage that is no longer what God intended it to be.  Why, stand in line showing how strong marriage is between a man and a woman when so many marriages fall apart for no more of a reason then who forgot to take out the trash .  I just could not do it.  So hats off to those who did!

Over the last few weeks, even longer I have been burdened by the state of marriage.  To be honest, I should be the last one to have such a heavy heart regarding marriage.  I have been divorced, and my current marriage became so totally broken that it took God intervening to bring healing.  I think God every day that my husband never gave up on us, and he kept praying and seeking God, during a time when I could not and just really wished he would walk away.  Praise God, that I now have a marriage that was healed and restored, and our hearts that were shredded into little tiny pieces were made new.

Yesterday marked a day where everyone who supports "traditional" marriage (boy how I hate having to clarify what kind of marriage) stood in long lines to show the world what they stand for.  This is fine and dandy, but how could so many people take this stand when as a nation there is a 40-50% divorce rate for first time marriages.  That rate goes up for each time a person is married.  Before you blast me, I understand the reason why so many people went out and did this, trust me I totally understand.  However, it makes me wonder what those who don't agree with us are actually thinking about the "traditional" marriage.  Honestly, what kind of example can we really make when the divorce rate in America is so ridiculously high?  What was the motive behind so many of those standing in those lines?  Were they doing it out of love or were they doing it out of hate?  What was the point behind it?  Honestly I don't know.  I read so many posts of people doing their "deed" to show support of something that they honestly do really believe in.

So many people are so quick to judge the homosexual by telling them that they are wrong and living in sin but at the same breath ignore the couple that lives next door who just filed divorce papers.  I know two different topics, but both are sin full.  Sin is a sin, no matter the sin.  Like I mentioned before, I am divorced and remarried, so biblicaly speaking I am a very sin full person.  Trust me I have experienced the pointing of fingers, and the whispers behind my back, and the God can't use you because you are divorced routine.  Talk about feeling hurt.

All that to say this...  Is the homosexual more sinful because it is so in your face, wake up and there it is in the news?  Or is it the couple serving each other divorce papers today secretly so the neighbors don't know?  If we truly are honest they both are sin and neither is more sinful.  The bible clearly tells us that both are wrong.  Yes, I know that for divorce it is ok in case of adultery. 

So it brings me to this...If we are going to take a stand for "traditional" marriage, don't you think that maybe before an impact can be made in our society, we need to begin to strengthen our marriages?  To me I feel like those who favor legalizing homosexual marriage feels this way because we who support "traditional" marriage do such a horrible job at keeping our marriages together.  We have to many people just walking away from marriages because it is so much easier then staying and working it out.  Trust me, I know.  I really wanted nothing more at the time for my marriage to just end.  The pain, the continued broken heart, the feeling of worthlessness was so much more then I could bear.  Ending my marriage would have been so much easier. I understand, those desperate feelings of "lets just call it quits!!!!!"

I am asking that people join me in praying for our marriages, and begin to study the word to find out exactly what God intended marriage to be.  I honestly believe that before we can make a stand for marriages that will actually make an impact we need to begin restoring the sanctity of marriage by working to make our marriages last and stop looking for away out.  We need to stop accepting the norm that "trying on" marriage is acceptable, because you can't try on marriage.  It is not if it fits you keep it, and if not you don't commit.  What ever happened to dating and breaking up?  Last but not least, when making those vows begin taking them seriously, don't take them thinking that if this does not work we can always divorce.  Marriage is not easy, it was not intended to be easy.  It was intended to last forever, not to just walk away from because "I can't take this any more!!!" ( Words I said many times. I know and understand that feeling.)

I have taken the liberty to find all the scripture in the bible that pertains to marriage.  I have listed them below.  Would you please join me in finding out what marriage really is meant to be, and to portray.  As I journey through this my prayer is that God will open my eyes so that I can honestly stand for marriage the way that God intended it to be and make an impact on society honestly.  I also ask that during this personal study, that if your marriage is struggling that God will begin to restore not just your marriage, but the broken hearts.  If you are not married, I pray that God will open your eyes to the importance of marriage and what all it represents because marriage by no means is "just a piece of paper".  Please feel free to leave comments.  I look forward to seeing your responses.

Marriage:
     Matthew 22:30, 24:38
     Romans 7:2
     1 Cor 7:38
     Heb 13:4

Married:
     1 Cor 7:10, 7:33, 7:39

Marries:
     Matthew 5:32, 19:9
     Luke 16:18
    
Marry:
     1 Cor 7:9, 7:28
     1 Tim 5:14