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First, all praise and glory to the Lord. He is faithful! Psalms 34:22 "The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate."
Starting in January of 2003 my wife and I experienced issues in our relationship that developed into a separation (she moved away from home) and in April of 2003, a divorce. During the 16 months ending May 7, 2004, I asked prayer of the Body of Christ as well as asking God to work in my life and fulfill his purpose and plan. Bottom line is Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Who is doing the work? God. What is the work? Good. What will God do? Perform it. How long will it take? Till Jesus returns or the end of our days on this planet. God is never through with us. My prayer was and is: "God change my desires, so my habits will change, my choices will change." Bad things happen to good people. People who love the Lord too! The key I learned to follow is Romans 12:21 - "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Do good to people. People that hurt you. Offend you. Love them. James 1:20 - "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." It would have so easy for me to fight and justify during the events that were taking place in the relationship break-up. God called me to live on the level He destined me to live as Christian - conform me into the image of His Dear Son, Jesus (Romans 8:28-29), encouraged me to not to look at the problem with an attitude of hate, vengeance or hopelessness but rather to see that He, God, could use it for good and the end result would be to conform me into the image of His Dear Son, Jesus. Daily in prayer the Lord kept impressing me to “Love unconditionally.” Not like the Priest or the Levite on the road down from Jerusalem to Jericho, where they saw a man fallen among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:33) "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him." You should read the account in Luke 10:25-37. It is a lawyer asking Jesus a question “who is my neighbor?” seeking to justify himself. Ouch! Not that I ever tried that. Ya right! God did a work on me. Proverbs 3:11,12 - "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Shortly after July of 2003 the Lord was working on my former spouse: completely unbeknown to me; working on Linda and all the deep hurts suffered in her early childhood. OK! Now the praise. About September of 2003 Linda asked to meet me for a talk. I suggested she attend church with me for the First Wednesday Service of praise and worship and then we would go eat. For the next 7 months we would meet at Starbucks and various places for talking, praying and reading the Bible and books (starting reading "Purpose Driven Life" with her as it had been so helpful to me in the previous months) and week after week God’s work of healing and grace became evident in Linda’s life. For the first time she would lead out in audible prayer when we would pray together. She had always said she could not pray publicly. Changes become more and more visible in her actions, words, handling problems, stress, and of people. Yes, Christ was being formed in her. She found a scripture one day and called me to quote it from memory. One she had read and said “this is my experience.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." She had, and continues to have, a deep desire for the Word of God, prayer and sharing with her family about the love of God. It's not about Linda doing or not doing. It's not about David being a super whatever. It's all about Jesus and His compassion shown on two people and the power of His love. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Linda and I were re-joined in holy matrimony; the union of marriage; wedded bliss, equally yoked, marriage reconcile on May 7, 2004, 11:AM, at our home church, in the Prayer Garden of Fellowship Church, Grapevine, Texas. Thank you for praying. Thank you members of the body of Christ. Thank you Father. Luke 10:36,37 - "Which now of these three, thinkest thou (speaking to the lawyer who had had the question trying to justify himself), was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." Let us go and show unconditional mercy because of the unconditional love of God shown unto you and me by the Father, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We would love to hear from you if you are experiencing marriage problems that may lead to a seperation or divorce. We will join you in prayer. If you have a praise report of your marriage reconcile experience, please share.
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