BLESSED AND TESTIFYING OF GOD’S LOVE

BLESSED AND TESTIFYING OF GOD’S LOVE

The biblical Word of God encourages all the redeemed to thankfully praise and testify of God’s love and goodness: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” (Psalm 107:2). “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion” (Psalm 103:2-4).

Some people in the Bible, like King David, recognized the love of the Lord God, and with a thankful heart, told others about his goodness. I too can testify of the Lord God’s loved and goodness. The Word of God encourages all the redeemed to thankful testify of his love and goodness.

The Bible says, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

DAVID TESTIFIED ABOUT GOD’S LOVE AFTER GOD FORGAVE HIM FOR HIS SINS.

David said: “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you” (Psalm 63:3). “Great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD” (Psalm 117:2).

King David lusted, committed adultery and killed the woman’s husband. But when he was confronted by the Lord’s prophet, David said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Although David deserved to die (Deuteronomy 19:21), God’s prophet Nathan told him, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die” (2 Samuel 12:13). But because David disobeyed God, the Lord told him: “the sword shall never depart from thine house…I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house” (2 Samuel 12:10-11).

God had said David was “a man after mine own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22); but he sinned. Nevertheless, after he repented God forgave him. And because of the compassion of God toward David, he praised and testified much about God’s love and goodness.

Although David lived under the law, he was able to see the sacrificial atonement of the Lord for our sins. David said about him: “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Acts 2:25). And David was able to foresee our Lord Jesus Christ, who is now sitting “at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

I LEARNED TO THANKFULLY TESTIFY OF GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS:

Similar to David, I testify of how the Lord God loved and forgave me; and how he mended my broken marriage after I went astray. Hopefully, the Lord will be glorified by my testimony, and others will be encouraged to testify more of his love and goodness.

God redeemed and saved me from sin when I accepted his Son Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). Nevertheless, I went astray from God. And I broke my marriage vows. However, after I confessed my sins, the Lord God forgave me (1 John 1:8-9). And the Holy Spirit helped mend my broken marriage (John 14:16).

GOD USED OUR FORMER PASTOR TO INVOLVE MY WIFE AND I IN MARRIAGE COUNSELING.

After going astray and returning to the Lord, I prayed earnestly for about a year concerning reconciliation with my wife. I believed, if you ask anything according to God’s will he will do it (1 John 5:14).The Lord convinced me that reconciliation is always his preferred will, when both individuals are amenable .

During the time I was praying to the Lord, my wife Jean had been talking to the Pastor who married us. He had been counseling her concerning problems she had after having gone away from the Lord and returning. When the Pastor found out I had returned to the Lord, he suggested she get back together with me. At his urging, she eventually agreed to our meeting for marital counseling. After several long and heated counseling sessions, with he help of the Spirit, the Pastor got us to the point of living in the same apartment.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKED TO HEAL MY WIFE’S HEART.

As time passed, Jean began to react negatively toward me as deep-seated pains I had caused began to surface (perhaps mixed with other hurt feelings she said others had caused her). Jean reacted bitterly to much of what I did and said. She showed increasing hostilities toward me. Pastoral interventions did not help in these situations. Once when we had a heated argument, she called the police. I trusted God. A male and a female police officer came. Jean insisted that they arrest me. However, they found no justification for arresting me.

One day when I returned from work, my wife had changed the locks to the door of our apartment, and put my belongings outside.

I came to realized, like King David who had problems after he committed adultery and murder, that although God forgives your sin, you will need him to help you deal with consequences of your sins. However, I still believed the Lord would work to restore our apparently irreconcilable marriage. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

THE LORD GOD STOOD BY ME.

The Lord said if you trust him: “I will never leave nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). After my wife evicted me, the Lord used her mother who always liked me to help me. She arranged for me to stay with some of her relatives; and then helped me locate a studio through a building superintendent she knew.

GOD WORKED ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR ME AND MY WIFE

The Bible says, God works all things together for good for those who love him, in the process of conforming us into likeness of his Son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

My sense of the Lord’s sacrificial love for me infused me with Christ-like love for my wife. God’s Word instructs husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church” and gave himself up for the church (Ephesians 5:25). I prayed for the Lord to help with what I knew was impossible for me alone. The Lord strengthened me and gradually taught me how to love my wife as Christ sacrificially loved the church. I learned that Christ-like love suffers long and endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).

I SUPPORTED MY WIFE FINANCIALLY. Although we were separated, I continued to support my wife financially, working two jobs. Professionally, she had a background as a teacher and a singer, but was apparently in a state of depression.
I CALLED HER REGULARLY. Jean would often say, “I don’t’ see why you call me, you don’t love me.” But she would always accept my calls. God let me know that beneath her hurt there were deeper residuals of her love for me; however, it would only be by my obeying God and demonstrating Christ-like love that her love would re-emerge.
I LISTENED TO MY WIFE’S PROBLEMS. Jean often talked about her on-going problems with her mother “trying to control“ her; I would listen for hours at a time to give her some relief. I knew she loved her mother dearly, despite the problems. And she often expressed her thankfulness for her mother teaching her about the Lord when she was young.
I PRAYED WITH HER DAILY. I reminded Jean we are to cast all our problems upon the Lord for he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). I could see she was got relief when she talked, I listened, and we prayed. The Lord also taught me to pray and listen, letting her be “right” at times even when I believed I was right (1 Corinthians 6:7).
I WOOED HER AGAIN. I became aware that she was uplifted when we out went out regularly to movies and restaurants, which she enjoyed a lot; and when I bought her costly perfumes and took her shopping or shopped for her. With the help of the Lord, I did whatever I could to win back her trust and love.
I LEARNED CHRIST-LIKE LOVE BEGETS LOVE. Jean’s love for me began to blossom. Her responses showed me she was in love with me again: Lying her head on my arm in the movies as I had my arm around her shoulder —Asking me if I liked the perfume she was wearing—Often calling me sweetheart—Sometimes staying overnight at my apartment–Asking about getting back together.

Another example of Jean’s love and concern was seen in the way she looked out for my health. She saw that I had regular medical checkups. When a doctor discovered that I had cancer, she did research and saw that I received the best available treatment. After my operation, she gave me tender loving care. She became the helpful soul-mate; and I became the husband God intended us to be for one another (Genesis 2:18).

We were planning to live together, but God in his infinite love and wisdom decided to take my wife to our heavenly home to live with him. We discovered she had a fast-acting terminal cancer. However, the Lord had forgiven us and healed our marriage. While he left me here, I can testify of his love and goodness until he takes me to our heavenly home.

OUR LORD GOD ADDS MORE BLESSINGS TO THOSE WHO THANK AND PRAISE HIM FOR HIS LOVE AND GOODNESS.

The Word of God tells us: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). For “Great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD” (Psalm 117:2). For all who thank and praise the Lord for his love and goodness, he promises: You will “receive a hundredfold” blessing in this life. And “ I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” With the Lord In heaven, you will receive a “crown of righteousness” (John 14:3;).