God and Your Family

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,...And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. ~  Exodus 18: 5-6,9

Earlier in Moses’ life, he separates from his Midian wife Zipporah and his wife. In Exodus 18, after the Lord has not only delivered the Hebrews supernaturally out of slavery, but also provided them with food and water, Moses is reunited with his wife. This is a good reminder that God delights in marriage and desires successful marriage.

Not only was Moses separated from his wife, he was also separated from his father-in-law, Jethro. When Moses is reunited with his wife, Jethro not only reunites with Moses, he also professes the Lord as the one, true God. God is a healer of broken hearts.

Psalm 147:3 - He heals the brokenhearted/ And binds up their wounds.

Now, you may experience a separation in your marriage or in your family. Do not focus on the other person. You, personally, have been given a call to seek first the Kingdom of God.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Your life is not to be lived for yourself. If this is the case, you will never be satisfied. God is your Creator. He knows you and He wants to take care of you. You just worry about yourself and let God be the One to salvage your life because God is a mender of broken hearts.

This does not mean that if you are having trouble in your families or in your marriages, that you should seek a separation or divorce. There are legitimate reasons for divorce, namely adultery. Also, marriage where abuse is a legitimate concern may be cause for separation. However, God designed marriage and wants to work to heal your marriage and your family relationships. Wherever you are right now, serve God in sincerity. Whether your relationships are good, bad or indifferent, seek God first. Pray for your family, your spouse.

1 Corinthians 7: 10-11,15 says, “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.Do not divorce, if you do, remain single...But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. "

Although there may be times where you go through a separation, the purpose is that you may be brought back together again or remain single. Thus, if you divorce, biblically, you are to remain single. The exception in verse 15, is if an unbelieving spouse leaves you, then you are free to remain single or remarry. This may not be what you want, but this is what serving God requires. The promise is that if you seek Him, He will take care of Him.

When you seek after God, He will provide for you and can restore broken relationships. Perhaps you will remain single. Or perhaps, like Moses, perhaps you will be reconciled in a marriage and see family members come to Jesus!

Seek Him first and watch what He will do.
Blessings,
Robert Furrow