Contrasted in this passage: Those who covered the Lord’s altar with tears (or didn’t feel that God was listening) had also covered their marital relationship or garment with violence (i.e. lack of love/banishment or divorce, which in Old Testament times left women destitute=didn’t notice the cry for help from their wife).

In other words, the man who remained faithFUL to the wife of his youth gained what God was seeking=godly offspring.

Guarding your heart aka guarding youself in your spirit is helpful (for men, women and children). Do not be faithLESS!! Afterall, He demonstrated His love for you and me. For even when we were still sinners, Christ died for us (see Romans 5:8).

Of course, being a parent is not for the faint of heart and being a spouse will be the hardest (yet best) thing ever undertaken.

God’s goodness is meant to FULly bless each man (and woman) -in finding a wise spouse and remaining faithFUL to them. -Teresa

#answeredprayers #repentanthearts #willuforgiveme?goesalongway #celibacyisararegift #lovingcovenant

Proverbs 31:10-12 (ESV) 10 [a] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

Malachi 2:13-16 (ESV)13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[h] And what was the one God[i] seeking?[j] Godly offspring. So guard yourselves[k] in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her,[l] says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers[m] his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

Footnotes

h. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew in it
i. Malachi 2:15 Hebrew the one
j. Malachi 2:15 Or And not one has done this who has a portion of the Spirit. And what was that one seeking?
k. Malachi 2:15 Or So take care; also verse 16
l. Malachi 2:16 Hebrew who hates and divorces
m. Malachi 2:16 Probable meaning (compare Septuagint and Deuteronomy 24:1–4); or “The Lord, the God of Israel, says that he hates divorce, and him who covers