IS THERE LIFE AFTER DIVORCE?

THE PROMISE REMAINS

By Teresa Pollard

In my Father’s house are many dwelling places, if it were not so, I would have told you; for

 I go to prepare a place for you.  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and

receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:2-3 NASB 

     I’m divorced now.  I was married for forty years.  I came across some old love letters from my ex-husband the other day.  They were written when I was on a mission trip to Honduras, and professed his great love for me.  I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  He didn’t keep his promise.

     We could call the Bible a book of 66 love letters from God to His people, His bride.   Like many love letters, it also contains many promises, from the first promise in Genesis 3 to send a Savior to redeem fallen mankind to a final promise in Revelation 22 to eternally destroy anyone who adds to or takes away from His Word.  Some of these promises are conditional.  If we want His blessings, we have to do things His way, not our own.  For example, “[If] my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14.)  Others, like John 14:2-3, are completely unconditional.  They depend on Him alone.  But these (at least all the good ones) are promises only to us, His church.  He loves us and wants us to love Him wholeheartedly.  Exodus 34:14 tells us He is a jealous God.  He’ll never play second fiddle to anyone or anything.  But He’s not asking for a blind faith.  He wants us to know Who He is and what He wants.  That’s why He sent Jesus.  That’s why He gave us the Bible.  Like a lover Who’s poured out His heart to us, the Bible is a message of His great love.  It’s Who He is.  But He is also Holiness and Righteousness, and woe to those who think they can come to Him on their own terms.  He’ll never allow it. 

          It’s been over two thousand years since Jesus made the promise to return for His bride.  Many would have us believe the Bible is a book of myths and fairy tales that isn’t relevant for today’s society.  They’re wrong   The promise remains.  Keep looking up, for “the Lord Himself will descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”  God ALWAYS  keeps His promises! 

   

MEET THE AUTHOR

Teresa Pollard is from Richmond, Virginia, and was saved at a young age.  She has a Masters degree in English and Creative Writing from Hollins College, and has served as a Sunday School teacher and children’s worker for most of the last forty years.  Married for forty years, she was devastated by divorce and the death of her youngest daughter, but God has blessed her with a new home and another grandson, and she now resides in Dacula, Georgia.  Her website is TeresaPollardWrites.com

Teresa’s books published by HopeSprings Books:

• “Not Guilty“, February 2013
• “Tokens of Promise“, June 2013

Book Blurb:

“Tokens of Promise” by Teresa Pollard.  Inspired by The Bible, Genesis 38, “Tokens of Promise” is an imagination of the love story of Judah and Tamar.
“Beware, Prince of Hebron, her witching ways are strong.”  Ben Qara’s evil words still rang in his ears.  Judah is sure he was bewitched by the beautiful Tamar.  She is all he can think about.  But no, it must not be.  He will not break his vow to Yah.  He already has a wife, and he will have only one.  Tamar must marry Er.
Rescued from disgrace by the handsome Judah, Tamar is already in love with the kind stranger.  She eagerly followed Emi’s advice on how to win him.  It almost worked.  He’d promised.  If only his servant hadn’t come at that moment, she’d be his wife now instead of going home with him to be his daughter-in-law.   Why had her father agreed to this?  Surely he could see her destiny was with Judah?
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“What are you talking about, woman?” Er demanded.  “Tamar is no harlot.  She’s the daughter of a Man of God, and Father bought her from him for me.”
“After he found her naked in the street and bought her back from her rightful husband,” Ruah said spitefully.  “Her family was gone from the town, but your father stayed in her home with her through the night.  How many times do you suppose he could have come in to her before my father arrived with the dawn?  You don’t believe me?  Ask the messenger who took the supplies back to Chezib.  It seems the whole town is talking about it.”
Er’s anger seethed, and he vowed revenge.  His father must die.  But not before he would see what he would do to the beautiful “bride” he had intended to foist off on him.