"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WITH HURTING MARRIAGES"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WITH HURTING MARRIAGES"

1st John 3:8 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Some explanatory thoughts/application, and a prayer:

1. This verse, like any verse in the Bible has a context, and in this case, John had been writing to assure his readers of what they knew. They knew that they had passed from death to life, because, ( or here is the evidence ) that they loved their fellow Christians. And, that the person who does not love his brother is abiding in death. He further told them that they knew in 1st John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. So, he had been talking to them about love, in particular the love of God, it's being an evidence of our salvation, and that we ought to lay down our lives, or love one another just as God has done for us.

2. So, with respect to marriage and the hurting marriages that we can find ourselves in, or that you may be in right now, and the problems that can come into our marriages, and what can seem like a completely hopeless and very hurtful marriage, John says, 1st John 3:8 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. In other words, let's as believers, not just say we love, but, let's show it by the way that we act. He is calling believers to action, to the action of walking in love.

3. I have found that the often sought  after answer to a problem in my marriage, and the elusive answer to the problem, is not found in trying to establish and prove who is right, or who is wrong, or who did this, and or who did that etc, etc, but rather in this simple healing truth. 1st John 3:8 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

4. It's amazing what happens when our hearts align themselves with God's heart and will, and we focus on pleasing Him, and simply doing what He calls us to, that it can both heal the immediate problem, and perhaps save your marriage altogether. I've found this to be the case many times in my 37 1/2 years of marriage to my beautiful wife Gayle.

5. As men, I believe we often are the ones who want to fix the problems, right the wrongs, explain the situation, and so on. Those may be well intentioned ideas, and ideals, but God's Love is so powerful, that by simply walking in it, there is an answer, there is a healing, there is the return of peace, there is forgiveness, there is hope there is all that you did not have when trying to fix this in your own strength.

6. Here are just a few more verses that have been so helpful to my wife and I over the years.

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

1st Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

A prayer:

Father, You are the one who created the institution of marriage. And, You are the one who has given us Your guidebook for life, joy, peace, and the blessings of God to be in our lives. We know that there are many, many hurting marriages. Our's in fact may be in that category this very day. So, Father, we would bring those marriages to You in prayer today, and before Your wonderful and powerful throne of Grace, knowing that nothing is impossible with You, and that we can find grace to help in time of need, and simply ask for that help.

May Your Words in this Devotional today, have the healing effect that they have so often had in my life and my marriage to my sweetheart.
Thank You Lord for sustaining and blessing, and healing what we cannot do on our own. But, we know that we can do all things through Christ who has loved us and given His life for us.

We love You Lord. In Jesus name, Amen,

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.