21 Days of Prayer - Day 13: Cry out to the One who said, “What God has joined together let no man separate.”
Helpful Links & Resources
Opening Prayer
Union With Christ (from The Valley of Vision prayer book)
Mark 10:2-9
And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Notice
There was a dispute among the rabbis regarding divorce, a discrepancy in their views. The Pharisees were in essence asking Jesus to side with one rabbi or another, to “show his hand” as to which rabbi he considered correct. Wisely, masterfully, teacher Jesus responds by going all the way back to Genesis and God’s purpose in marriage. God’s design was that a male and female leave their parents and “hold fast” for life, the two now one. Jesus clarifies, “You want to know my view on divorce? Hear what I say about marriage, ‘What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’”
Think about it
Divorce is a painful subject for many of us. So many families have been impacted. Yet, if the church of Jesus Christ does not take a stand for the permanence of marriage, who will? We do so not to hurt those who have been traumatized by divorce, but to honor the Master Designer and trust in his plan for the family and society and the church. Certainly, even in the pain we or those we love have experienced, we can pray for marriages. And we can call upon God for his sustaining grace. We can set an example of long-term commitment, enduring love, faithfulness and fidelity. If you know of a friend or family member whose marriage is difficult and painful, pray for them. Pray also for the marriages of leaders in your church family. Our enemy often attacks on that front. God help us.
Crying out for marriages
“O God, I cry out to you today on behalf of married couples. Sustain them by your grace and the Holy Spirit, O Lord. I pray for my own marriage (if married), as well as those of my family and church family. How we need your help, Father. Help us model in our marriages the relationship between Christ and the church — what a tall order that is. Help husbands to love their wives and wives to respect their husbands. May our church be a shelter for those who need help with marriage and family life. And may we support the hurting. I pray for the marriage of my pastor(s) and other church leaders, Father. Protect them from any harm the evil one would plot to do against them. And what I pray for them I pray for myself. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray the Psalms
Psalm 57: Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth
Group Prayer
Pray that God would strengthen and sustain the marriages of our church through this time
Pray for those that may be suffering from domestic abuse in their home during this time
Pray for those who long to be married during this time of distancing and greater isolation
Prayer For the Unity of the Church (from The Book of Common Prayer)
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
To read more of God’s word
Genesis 2, Ephesians 5, I Corinthians 13
