TESTIFYING OF GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
The Bible says, “let the redeemed of the Lord so” (Psalm 107:2; Mark 16:15-16). Jesus forgave and helped many people. Some who recognized his love, thanked him and told others about his goodness. I too can 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 inspired to trust and love and testify of him more.
TWO IN THE BIBLE WHO TESTIFIED OF THE LORD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
- A MAN BORN BLIND was healed by Jesus, and forgiven his sins. Some refused to believe Jesus was from God. But the man who was healed said Jesus could do no such thing except by the power of the God. Others believed in the Lord (John 9).
- A SAMARITAN WOMAN who was rejected by Jews, and by people of her community was shown love and acceptance by Jesus when she encountered him alone at a well outside the community. Jesus, whom she recognized as a Jew, told her all about her past life of rejection and disappointment; and he showed her love and acceptance. She went and told others that she was convinced the man she met was God’s promised Messiah. And many came to believe in Jesus as God’s prophetic Messianic Christ. (John 4:4-42).
MY TESTIMONY OF THE LORD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
God saved me by my accepting his Son Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior (John 3:16). Nevertheless, I went astray from God. And I broke my marriage vows. However, after I confessed my sins, Lord God forgave me (1 John 1:8-9). And the Holy Spirit, helped mend my broken marriage (John 14:16).
>> THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WAS ENGAGED IN MENDING MY MARRIAGE.
After I returned 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 possible.
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, the Lord used the Pastor to get us to the point of living in the same apartment.
>> THE SPIRIT WORKED ON MY WIFE’S HURT FEELINGS.
After getting back together my wife, she told me that when she was going away from the Lord, “I asked him to help me get back to him before I die.” She believed the Lord helped her to get back through depressing disappointments and pain.
My wife said while she was away from the Lord, she was hurt a lot by coworking “friends” in the world of professional singers who seem to be jealous of her abilities. She said this hurt was added to the pain she was already experiencing from our broken marriage, and the problems of dealing with her domineering mother.
As time passed, Jean began to react negatively toward me as deep-seated pains I had caused began to surface (perhaps mixed with her other hurt feelings). 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 HELPED AND DIDN’T FORSAKE ME
The Lord said if you trust him: “I will never leave nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Like he rescued his disciples in a storm, he convinced me that no matter how problematic my situation, he would see me through the storm I was experiencing. After my wife evicted me, the Lord rescued me. He 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.
>> THE LORD WORKED ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR ME AND MY WIFE
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 by myself. 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 shared about her on-going problems and pains caused by her domineering mother, as I listened for hours at a time. 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. However, Jean was taught subjugation as a child, and did know how to free herself from her mother as an adult. However, I am now much more understanding of and compassionate toward those, like me, who have human frailties. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses. The Lord wants us to love and help one another (Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).
- 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, as I became the husband God intended us to be for one another.
>> WE ALL SHOULD TESTIY ABOUT GOD’S LOVE AND GOODNESS
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.
All of us who recognize the Lord’s love and goodness should thank him, and testify about what he has done for us. Sharing about him might inspire others to trust him more and have a more loving relationship with him. And we all will be better prepared to live with him in heaven eternally as our Savior and Lord (John 14:3).
