December 14
Love, Grace,
and Second Chances
"Here is what I tell you. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. A man may divorce his wife only if she has not been faithful to him."
Matthew 19:9 (NIrV)
Melissa never imagined she’d be here—years after the wreckage of her marriage, sitting in a church pew, wrestling with a question she never thought she’d ask. Am I allowed to love again?
Her first marriage had ended in betrayal. The man she once trusted had found comfort in the arms of another, and when the truth came out, everything shattered. The divorce papers had felt like both a death sentence and a release. For years, she had avoided love, avoided trust, avoided God.
Then she met David.
He was different. He didn’t push. He didn’t rush. He simply introduced her to something—or rather, Someone—who had been missing from her life all along. Through David, Melissa found Jesus. At first, church had felt foreign, but over time, she realized she wasn’t just attending services—she was being transformed.
Now, David was talking about marriage. And Melissa felt sick with uncertainty.
One evening, they sat in his living room, Bible open between them, wrestling with Matthew 19:9. Melissa bit her lip. “David, I was the one left behind. He was the one who broke the covenant. But I still have this voice in my head saying I’m… unworthy. That I’m tainted.”
David sighed, rubbing his hands together. “Melissa, divorce was never part of God’s perfect plan. But we live in a broken world, and sometimes, sin shatters what God intended to last. You didn’t walk away from your marriage—your ex-husband did. You didn’t break that covenant—he did.”
Melissa blinked back tears. “So what does that mean for us?”
David exhaled. “It means we seek God first. We don’t make this decision based on fear or shame but on truth. We pray, we get counsel, and we trust that God’s grace is big enough for this.”
Melissa went home that night and did something she hadn’t done in years—she fell to her knees and prayed.
God, I don’t want to dishonor You. I want to walk in Your will. Show me if I am allowed to love again. Show me if this is right in Your eyes. I don’t want my will—I want Yours.
Peace settled over her, not in a dramatic way, but like a quiet assurance. In the coming weeks, she and David sought counsel from their pastor. They studied Scripture, asked hard questions, and laid everything before God.
And in time, Melissa realized—grace was not just for other people. It was for her, too.
Prayer:
Father, Your truth is sometimes hard, but Your grace is always greater.
Thank You for loving us in our brokenness. Help us to seek Your will above all else, even when it challenges us.
Guide those who struggle with past mistakes and the weight of shame.
Remind us that You are the God of redemption, of second chances, and of new beginnings.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
