Matthew 5:27-32
Jesus continues here to teach that His standards are much higher than those of the law. In order to be right with God, we must be right on the INSIDE. Everyone knows how damaging and hurtful adultery is to everyone involved. But Jesus reminds us that He wants us to avoid sinful desires and wrong fantasies. Our modern society might scoff at this, but Jesus takes it very seriously. He is not advocating that we harm our own bodies, but He is telling us that sin is harmful and we should get rid of anything in our lives that tempts us to sin.
Just as adultery is hurtful to those involved, so is divorce. Ideally, God intends marriage to be for life, and both parties should keep their marriage vows. However, we know that in real life, this doesn't always happen. No one should go into a marriage thinking, "If this doesn't work out, I'll just divorce him or her." Many people in our society already have had the divorce experience. Obviously, we can't go back, and so I would say that if we are presently in a marriage, we should be at work to make it stronger!
Psalm 79
Israel had suffered terribly at the hands of her enemies. Sometimes our calamities are the result of our own unwise decisions and actions, sometimes not. In any case, the prayers we find in this Psalm are good examples. "Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake." v. 9 "Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise." v. 13
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