We read in the Bible:
“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” – Matthew 19:4-6
“Wuxuu u jawaabay oo ku yidhi, Miyaydnaan akhriyin, Kii bilowgii uumay iyaga wuxuu ka dhigay lab iyo dhaddig, oo wuxuu yidhi, Sababtaas aawadeed nin wuxuu ka tegayaa aabbihiis iyo hooyadiis, wuxuuna la joogayaa naagtiisa, oo labaduba waxay noqonayaan isku jidh? Sidaa darteed haatan iyagu laba ma aha, laakiin waa isku jidh. Haddaba wixii Ilaah isku xidhay, ninna yaanu kala furin.” – Matayos 19:4-6
God has given us the ability to make choices. In the very beginning when God created the heavens and the earth He gave men and women the authority to rule over the creation God had created. God gave us the ability to choose how we would rule over each other and how we would treat each other.
It says in the book of Genesis:
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” – Genesis 1:28
“Oo Ilaah waa barakeeyey iyaga; oo Ilaah wuxuu iyaga ku yidhi, Wax badan dhala oo tarma, oo dhulka ka buuxsama, oo ka sara mara dhulka, oo xukuma kalluunka badda, iyo haadda hawada, iyo wax kasta oo nool oo dhulka kor dhaqdhaqaaqa.” – Bilowgii 1:28
First we have to be faithful to God. We have to trust in Him even when things don’t work out the way we would like them too. We have to keep trusting in God even when we are sick, or when someone else close to us dies. We may never have the understanding we want about why these things happened. But we should always be able to trust in the Lord. We should always be able to worship Him. Job was a man who suffered a lot even though he was a good man. Job didn’t stop believing and trusting in God: he chose to say:
“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” – Job 1:21
“Anigoo qaawan baan uurkii hooyaday ka soo baxay, oo haddana anigoo qaawan baan halkaas ku noqon doonaa. Rabbigaa wax i siiyey, oo haddana Rabbigaa iga qaatay, ammaan waxaa leh magaca Rabbiga.” – Ayuub 1:21
The New Testament says that a man may only have 1 wife.
Jesus said:
“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” – Matthew 19:4-6
“Wuxuu u jawaabay oo ku yidhi, Miyaydnaan akhriyin, Kii bilowgii uumay iyaga wuxuu ka dhigay lab iyo dhaddig, oo wuxuu yidhi, Sababtaas aawadeed nin wuxuu ka tegayaa aabbihiis iyo hooyadiis, wuxuuna la joogayaa naagtiisa, oo labaduba waxay noqonayaan isku jidh? Sidaa darteed haatan iyagu laba ma aha, laakiin waa isku jidh. Haddaba wixii Ilaah isku xidhay, ninna yaanu kala furin.” – Matayos 19:4-6
And the only reason a man can divorce his wife is that if she has been unfaithful to him. So if a man’s wife has sex with another man, the husband is able to divorce her for her unfaithfulness – but he doesn’t have to.
The Bible says:
“Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.” – Hebrews 13:4
“Guurka hala wada maamuuso, oo sariirtuna yeynan nijaasoobin, maxaa yeelay, khaniisiinta iyo dhillayadaba Ilaah waa xukumi doonaa.” – Cibraaniyada 13:4
So we have learned that husbands and wives must remain faithful to one another in a Christian marriage: husbands cannot commit adultery; and wives cannot commit adultery. Husbands and wives must remain faithful to each other in a Christian marriage for their whole lives – one wife for life.
We are also to remain faithful to God. Life is full of many problems and difficulties and we may be tempted to use these difficulties as an excuse to stop being faithful to God.
This is what the Israelites did when they were in the desert. When they were thirsty and hungry and tired they started to yell out at Moses:
“There, too, the whole community of Israel spoke bitterly against Moses and Aaron. “Oh, that we were back in Egypt,” they moaned. “It would have been better if the LORD had killed us there! At least there we had plenty to eat. But now you have brought us into this desert to starve us to death.” – Exodus 16:2-3
“Markaasaa shirkii reer binu Israa’iil oo dhammu cidladii Muuse iyo Haaruun ugu gunuuseen. Oo reer binu Israa’iilna waxay iyagii ku yidhaahdeen, Waxaa noo wanaagsanaan lahayd inaannu gacanta Rabbiga ku dhimanno, annagoo dalkii Masar joogna, intii aannu ag fadhinnay dheryaha hilibka ah, oo aannu kibis ka dhergaynay, waayo, waxaad cidladan noogu soo bixiseen inaad ururkan oo dhan gaajo ku dishaan.” – Baxniintii 16:2-3
Sometimes we find ourselves in a desert – hungry and thirsty and tired. We may feel like giving up. We may feel like God isn’t listening to us anymore, or that he hates us, or that he has left us. But all those thoughts are not correct. God said in His word that He would never leave us or forsake us.
We may be depressed and discouraged. We may see some of our family members die. We may have friends who leave us or betray us. Our own family may turn against us and become our enemies instead of our friends. Life might turn out very different than the way we want it to.
But God is still God. And God said in His Word: “Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
“Haddaba xoog yeesha oo aad u dhiirranaada, ha baqina, hana ka cabsanina, waayo, waxaa idinla socda Rabbigii Ilaahiinna ahaa. Idinma gabi doono, idinmana dayrin doono.” – Sharciga Kunoqoshadiisa 31:6
So we have nothing to fear. The only fear we should have is the fear that we are going to choose to stop believing in our God. Sometimes life can be very difficult. Our family members can get sick and die. Young children can die. Bad things can happen to us. Prayers can go unanswered for many, many years. But that doesn’t mean that God has left us. God is not like a bad husband who goes out every night to chew Khat with his friends and forget about his family. God is not like a bad husband who leaves his wife and family and never comes back.
God is a loving father and is not like any of us human beings: God is faithful to us. He said He would never leave us, and never forsake us, and He meant it. God said it in His word and His word is true. God said He would never leave us or forsake us and we can believe in God all the time.
My dear fellow Somalis. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and forgive me of all my sins. He has been with me as my closest friend ever since I called upon His name.
If you are struggling with anything; if you are weak, or tired, or hungry or scared. It doesn’t matter how big or small the problem is that you are having – Jesus can help you.
Jesus said:
“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20
Ciise wuxuu ku yidhi: “Oo Ciise ayaa u yimid oo la hadlay, oo wuxuu ku yidhi, Amar oo dhan ayaa samada iyo dhulka laygu siiyey. Haddaba taga, oo quruumaha oo dhan xer ka dhiga, oo ku baabtiisa magaca Aabbaha iyo Wiilka iyo Ruuxa Quduuskaa, oo bara inay dhawraan wax walba oo aan idinku amray, oo bal eega had iyo goor ayaan idinla joogaa xataa ilaa wakhtigu dhammaado.” – Matayos 28:18-20
Let us pray…Lord help us all remain faithful to you and follow you wherever you lead. Lord bless all those who are listening and feed their hungry souls. Amen.