The Bible warns us saying; “You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.” (Malachi 2:13-14 ESV)
As we look across America, we see how we have treated marriage. And many times we rightly look at this passage and consider the state of our marriages. However, there is another issue that is at the surface of this passage. That issue is worship. If we think that our actions don’t affect our worship, we are wrong. We have made a habit of seeking out the emotional highs to determine the quality of our worship.
We cover the LORD’s alter with tears and then we wonder why God is not blessing our country. Why doesn’t he accept it? He doesn’t accept it because how we have treated marriage. We are loose with our vows and our faithfulness. Our focus has become more on the drunken party of the wedding, rather than the sober commitment of the vows.
“The Message” paraphrases this verse this way:
“And here’s a second offense: You fill the place of worship with your whining and sniveling because you don’t get what you want from God. Do you know why? Simple. Because God was there as a witness when you spoke your marriage vows to your young bride, and now you’ve broken those vows, broken the faith-bond with your vowed companion, your covenant wife. God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that’s what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don’t cheat on your spouse.” (Malachi 2:13-14, MSG)
If God is going to bless this country once again we must return to a Biblical understanding and commitment to marriage.
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This post is a fresh rewrite of the post titled Marriage and Worship, from December 2007.
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