Day Marked

Day Marked

Today was an interesting day. I should make mention of it. It was the day that I became fully released from my previous marriage. It was the day she (finally) entered into a marriage covenant with another man.

An epic-friend of mine mentioned that she had read Jesus’ words in Mark about marriage. She said that if I were to marry again, then I would be committing adultery.

My mind then went on an acrobatic justification journey that tickled every part of the Leper-like status that divorced individuals endure. I can guarantee you that I can devise a line-of-thought of remarkable dexterity that dodges most every condemning verse or ideal that anyone can throw at me.

But the bottom line, though, is that it is sin. The word “sin,” translated literally, means to “miss the mark.” And yes, divorce, and all the dysfunction that accompanies it, is a very public expression of how two individuals missed-the-mark. In its brilliance, the bible effectively addresses the issue of sin. It shows us what it is, and then offers us a way around it so that we can still fulfill our life’s purpose without its weight anchoring us to our past.

So, before you cast the stone-of-condemnation on my life and relegate me to an unusable and untouchable pile-of-wrecked-lives, examine the footprints of your own life. Hopefully you will be honest enough to see your own private missed-marks and imperfect-relationships. Hopefully it will inspire you to let that stone slip softly to your feet. Not only does God have an impressive record of redeeming and using imperfectly-led lives, he thrives on it.

We are not so different from the historically-hypocritical Pharisee. We cannot claim wisdom beyond those who crucified the Christ. Nor are we so different from the disciples that ran.

There, but by the grace of God, go we.