Bible Summary:

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that even looking at a woman and wanting to possess her is committing adultery. He then says if your right eye or hand causes you to sin, then you should throw it away. It is better to lose an eye or limb instead of having your whole body thrown into hell.  He also says a married person can only divorce if his or her spouse is unfaithful; otherwise the person is guilty of causing the spouse to commit adultery.

My Thoughts:

Marriage is Sacred: Jesus makes a very graphic point about married people not looking at (pluck your eyes out) or touching (cut off your hands) other people than their spouse. He also says divorce is only justified if the other person is unfaithful.

Obviously, marriage was very sacred back then and adultery was a crime punishable by stoning. What a dramatic difference to our day-in-age where over half the marriages end in divorce. I guess the couples are “punished” through divorce court and are a little more cautious the second time around.

Communication: Remember when you first met and just could not stand being away from each other. You asked all about your spouse-to-be: family history; likes and dislikes; favorite color, movie, flowers, sweets, etc. You asked questions, you probed to find out his or her hopes, dreams, and concerns. You listened intently – to every word.

We grow comfortable in marriage, many times too comfortable where we plop down on the couch exhausted after a long day at work and shuttling the kids to activities, too tired to even speak. We turn on the TV and “tune out” until bedtime. If this is you, make changes today.

• Sneak a love note in her purse.
• Schedule time alone with him. Yes – I said “schedule” and stick to the appointment like “having to” take the kids to practice.
• Turn off the TV at least once a week.
• I’ll have to come up with some more ideas later, but you get the point.