Malachi 2:13,14

The pain caused by sin - Malachi 2:13-14: Malachi wrote, "And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant." (Malachi 2:13-14) The pain caused by their sin overshadowed any attempt that they made to worship God. Sadly, these Jewish men had put away their godly and scriptural wives to marry idol worshipping women. This was a violation of both their marriage covenant and their covenant with God. Such willful defiance brought grief to the heart of the Almighty. These Jewish men had no honor and no saving faith. The "put away" wives came before God with tears of grief and sorrow. The men came before God with sacrifice. God observed the sorrow caused by these men and not the sacrifice that they offered. In our day our actions can easily hinder our prayers. We must so live that our prayers will not be hindered. Peter wrote, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." (l Peter 3:7)