ALL For The Glory Of Jesus
It’s not at all uncommon when standing for the restoration of our marriages to ask God why He allowed this to happen, and why we are going through this difficult time. And even when we finally understand more about the biblical dynamic of godly marriages and we’re truly honest and accept and acknowledge our own mistakes and failures, we also have to understand that God’s ULTIMATE purpose is the glorification of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. However, when we’re in the midst of our pain, anger, disappointment and confusion, that’s not so easy to understand and accept, but the sooner we do, the better off we’ll be, because it gives us a totally new perspective. IF what we’re going through is supposed to bring glory to Jesus, how could that happen without the restoration of our marriages when there’s no glory for Jesus in the destruction of our families and the devastation of our lives, especially when the Bible tells us that God hates divorce, as we see in Malachi 2:13-16 (AMP), which says:
And this you do with double guilt; you cover the altar of the Lord with tears [shed by your unoffending wives, divorced by you that you might take heathen wives], and with [your own] weeping and crying out because the Lord does not regard your offering any more or accept it with favor at your hand. Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant [made by your marriage vows]. And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation and him who covers his garment [his wife] with violence. Therefore keep a watch upon your spirit [that it may be controlled by My Spirit], that you deal not treacherously and faithlessly [with your marriage mate].
So if God stands as a witness to the covenant of our marriages and He hates divorce and warns husbands not to treat their wives treacherously and faithlessly, it ’stands to reason that He is “for us” and on our side, which means Romans 8:31 (AMP) gives us every reason to believe and expect GOD to defend and protect the covenant of our marriages, because it says What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] And then we have the Lord’s awesome promise in Isaiah 41:10-13, which says:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
And even though there are many Bible verses making it clear that our battle belongs to the Lord, here are just a few to remind us:
1 Samuel 17:47
All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
2 Chronicles 20:15
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
2 Chronicles 20:17
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ “
2 Chronicles 32:8
With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
So when we’re standing against the odds and all earthly hope and expectation that our marriages can be restored, it’s very important for us to have absolute confidence that God can and WILL fight this battle for us and restore our marriages, because He hates divorce and it’s HIS battle! Once we truly understand and believe that, we’re able to live for the Lord’s glory even while we’re waiting for His deliverance, because of the faith and confidence we have in Him to do everything His word promises. And then our lives bear witness to how the Lord is glorified when we’re going through difficult times, as revealed in 2 Corinthians 4:6-9 (AMP), which says:
For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves. We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair; We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;
And 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 (AMP) reveals how the Lord is using this time in our lives for His glory, because it says:
For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God. Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!], Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.
And finally, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reveals another important way the Lord uses our personal trials to bless others and bring glory to Him, because it says Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. So there’s always a purpose in the trials and tribulations the Lord allows in our lives, and it’s ALWAYS for the ultimate glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!