On
the last page, I started telling you about PTSD, then seemed to side-track to a discussion
of divorce. This is just as much of an adventure for me as it is supposed to be for
you, faithful reader. Where will I head next?
I haven't finished
either topic, so I will stick with the divorce issue, trusting it will lead us back via
some interesting terrain, to the PTSD.
(At this point I
have to go back and read what I just wrote because I can't remember! Excuse me for a
moment...)
OK. I'm back. I
knew there was method in my madness. The divorce topic definitely leads us back to PTSD. I
knew it would. Didn't doubt it for a moment!
I said before, I
don't like quoting verses from the Bible too often. It's too easy to try and use it
to serve your own interests. The first verse from the Bible I ever memorised says: (from
memory)
"All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuke, ? and training in
righteousness..."
?Timothy 3:17
How did I do? Flip,
flip (turning pages of Bible)
Oops - try again.
"All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the person who serves God may be thoroughly equipped for every good
work."
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Some people don't
like this recent, contemporary version of the Bible called The Message, but it has a punch
to it:
"Every part
of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another - showing us truth, exposing
our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the
Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."
That gives a fresh
perspective on it, doesn't it!?
I like the way God
uses the Scriptures best. Ephesians, a book of the New Testament, has a verse about
the Bible being 'the sword of the Spirit". God has perfect knowledge, and He is
qualified to use His sword - the book He authored. We need to be very sure we are
being led by His Spirit if we presume to wield that sword - it can be a deadly weapon.
Having said that,
let me quote a Bible verse!
"...the Lord
is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken
faith with her..."
Malachi 2:14
Malachi said God
hates divorce. He also said God hates a man 'covering himself with violence as well as
with his garment.' This was in the context of telling the Israelites that God was
not pleased with the way men were 'breaking faith' with their wives.
God really doesn't
like it when men abuse their wives. The marriage relationship is meant to be a
living example to us of the relationship between Christ and His faithful followers - the
(true) church. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. He wants
husbands to do the same.
When women are
abused by their husbands, it takes a terrible emotional and physical toll. I remember
awakening one morning to a waking dream of myself lying, bruised black and blue from head
to foot. It wasn't real - physically. But I was to discover later that it was very
real in a psychological sense. And though not obvious externally, I was being
physically damaged aswell.
The Bible quotes
Jesus in John 10:10:
"The thief
comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life - and life to
the full."
I was being
destroyed. Something was very wrong. I am only beginning to understand how wrong fifteen
years later.
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