What are you married to?

This is a nice picture of my parents on their wedding day. I am happy to say that theirs is a Godly marriage. They have loved and served the Lord together now for over 50 years.

This past week at Bible study...the lesson was truly amazing. We are studying the period of time in which the Israelites return to Jeruselem after years of captivity in Babylonia and Syria. This week's study focused on scripture from Ezra.
Ezra 9:1-4 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the priests and the officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."
When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifices.
Our discussion turned to how the Israelites had been warned by God not to intermarry with the pagans because their hearts would be turned away from God. I got to thinking about us. Oh...maybe we are not married to Baal worshippers...or maybe it's not a marriage in the traditional sense ...maybe what we are married to is something else that is dragging our hearts away from God. I was convicted myself because I have to confess that lately I have married busyness and chaos. I have not taken the time to be still and quiet before the Lord. It has dragged my heart away.
Reading on in Ezra.
Ezra 10:1-2
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites-men, women, and children-gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, ..., said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel."
I won't go into the rest of the story about what the Israelites decided to do to make themselves right before the Lord (you can read it for yourselves)...but I will say this. They took drastic measures! Praise the Lord that he is full of grace and mercy and does not give us what we deserve...but because of Him we still have hope. I am devorcing myself from the busyness and chaos of life and sending her away. I am going to be still and quiet before the Lord.
What are you married to?