One of the questions most often asked when men and women standing for marriage restoration first come to the realization that the Bible instructs us to let our spouses go when they want to leave is just how to DO that. And despite having a basic understanding of what it means, it hasn’t always been one of the easiest things to explain. But when I read Lorraine Ezell’s Coffee Break devotional yesterday morning, the Lord showed me just how simple the answer to that question really is! So for anyone still struggling to let your spouse go, just put God first. It really is that easy and that simple. And to the extent we are able to do that, we will succeed in letting our spouses go and release the divine supernatural power of God to work on our behalf for the restoration of our marriages.

However, one of the most difficult aspects of letting our spouses go when they want to depart is understanding how that makes sense, much less works, when we’re supposed to be standing for the restoration of our marriages; because there naturally appear to be competing and conflicting objectives in attempting to do that. But we find a perfect illustration of that in the story of Abraham putting Isaac on the alter and raising his own hand to kill him even though God had promised to establish His covenant with him through Isaac, as we see in Genesis 1819, which says Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And then Genesis 21:12 even says But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. So just imagine the conflict that was going on in Abrahams heart, mind and spirit when God instructed him to literally kill the very son He had promised and very specifically told him through whom his descendents would be reckoned. In the exact same way, God instructs us to let our spouses go (being willing to sacrifice them), even though that seems totally contrary to our marriages being restored as His Word promises. Yet when we realize that God asked Abraham to put Isaac on the alter as a test, it’s easier to understand the kingdom principle of letting our spouses leave in order to move the hand of God to bring them back. And when we read Genesis 22:1-18, it’s clear that when it came right down to it, no matter the cost and no matter how difficult and painful, Abraham chose to put God first. He chose to put His faith and confidence in the power and promise of God’s Word above his limited ability to understand exactly what God had instructed him to do; much less why. He chose being obedient to God over the concerns he must have had about what others thought of what he was doing, particularly his beloved son! In the end, Abraham knew that being disobedient to God just wasn’t an option, so He put his love, faith, confidence and being obedient to God above EVERYTHING else—HE PUT GOD FIRST! And that’s exactly what God wants us to do now! As with Abraham, letting our spouses go and living in peace when they want to leave, as we stand on the authority of God’s Word for the full and complete restoration of our marriages, and families is a test. And the way we choose to respond to the test will not only affect us, but just as with Abraham and Isaac, it will have a very significant impact on the lives of many generations to come. So let’s focus on putting God first and pass the faith test!

And another important message we learn as we read Genesis 22:7-8 about Abraham being obedient and following through with God’s instructions to sacrifice his son, is that Abraham was sure that God would provide an alternative; yet he was prepared to do as God had instructed even if He didn’t. But Abraham fully EXPECTED God to make provision and fulfill His promise, which is confirmed by the word of his testimony in Genesis 22:5. And Abraham gave voice to that expectation and he did not give voice to fear or any doubt he might have had. And in the same way, God wants us to EXPECT Him to hear and answer our prayers and that He will ALWAYS do WHATEVER it takes to insure that His Word NEVER returns void; that it ALWAYS accomplishes that for which He sent it (Isaiah 46:10-11 and Isaiah 55:10-11)!

And since none of us really have a clue what God will do later today, much less tomorrow or at any time in the future, we have to keep our focus on today and what God is calling us to do right here and right now. And He ALWAYS has something He wants us to do for HIS kingdom, for His purpose and for His glory. And one of the things God wants us to do in this time of testing is to learn how to be the wives and husbands He created and always intended us to be and to be prepared when our spouses return. And the sooner we concentrate a whole lot more on finding out what God wants us to do and how we can DO it, the sooner we are likely to see things change in terms of the restoration of our marriages and families. But we can’t try to put God in a box and get all caught up in when or how, because then our focus is again shifted back to ourselves, our spouses and the restoration of our marriages and we are not putting God and His purpose for our lives first. So instead of worrying about how to let our spouses go, we should just concentrate on HOW to put God FIRST in our lives, and then everything else will fall into place just as it should. Remember, Jesus told us to love God with ALL of our hearts, ALL of our minds, ALL of our souls, and ALL of our strength, and said that’s the greatest commandment of all ( Mark 12:29-31). Well, that sure sounds like putting God first and it sure doesn’t leave any room for ANYTHING else! All is ALL, and anything we do less than that is unacceptable to God. And we can not love God without obeying Him, as revealed in these verses). And as difficult as it may be to understand and DO, God tells us that when an unbelieving spouse leaves, we are to let them go and live in peace; for how do we know we won’t save them ( 1 Corinthians 7:15-16). And there’s NO way we’ll ever be able to do that without being totally rooted and grounded in our walk and relationship with the Lord and His Word. He is the vine and we are the branches and apart from Him we can do NOTHING, but when we are in right relationship with Jesus, we can and will bear much fruit (John 15:5)! And there’s no greater way to be blessed and encouraged than putting God first! So here’s Lorraine’s great devotional from yesterday.

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34

Don’t misinterpret this verse and think that we are not suppose to think about tomorrow at all. We are told to occupy until He comes–raise our families, do our work, live life. If I am planning on taking a trip tomorrow, I have to “think” about the trip ahead of time and make sure that I have my clothes washed and ironed and packed for the trip. If a student has a test tomorrow, they have to make sure they have studied and are prepared to pass the test. If a business man has a presentation to make next week, he needs to be working today to make sure he is ready to present it when the time comes.

The word “thought” means- anxious, worry, fretful. We are told not to “worry” about tomorrow. Don’t be fretful, or fearful, don’t worry when there is no food in the
cabinets today about what you are going to eat tomorrow. Don’t be anxious about what may come your way tomorrow because of where you are today.

Sandwiched between verse 31-“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”–and verse 34 is the key to not being worried or anxious–“(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

When you are tempted to be anxious about tomorrow, remember that you have a heavenly Father who is watching over you. Remember that He loves you and will take care of you. Remember that He already sees tomorrow and makes provision for it. Also, don’t seek after your needs– seek Him. Make seeking Him your priority. Put Him first-first in your time, in your work, in your home, in your thoughts, in your heart, in all you do.

There is something you have to do about tomorrow: don’t worry or be anxious, remember that God sees tomorrow, just keep your heart set on seeking Him, and give Him first place in your life.

Have a great day. Don’t worry about tomorrow- remember God and seek Him above everything else.

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell and it’s sent by email free of charge for the asking from About the Master’s Business Ministry, Inc.

So please feel free to call Lorraine at (601) 833-5278 or E-mail her at mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
And you can visit her on the web at MastersBusiness.org.

Posted Friday, March 7th, 2008 at 1:22 am in Seeds Of Faith.