At Bible study a week or so ago, we were asked what person in our lives, if any, had shown Jesus to us through their actions.  I smiled to myself for my answer came instantly.  Hands down, without a doubt Jesus was shown to me by my husband.  If you have been following my posts in this recent series on marriage, you will know, as I shared in my testimony on Thursdaythat several years ago, my husband and I went through an extremely painful time.  I hurt him deeply, and as a result, hurt myself and all those who knew and loved us.  Our journey was a difficult one; however, as my husband said often during that time, “Jesus is our Counselor”.  He led us through the valley to the other side!  As we sought to follow God, Jesus healed our marriage, but it all started with the gift that my husband gave me.  Roy made a decision... 


Through his pain and feelings of loss and betrayal, he chose to forgive me... And I was amazed. 

didn't deserve his forgiveness.  I had broken his heart and trust through my sin and wasn't worthy of his love, and yet, he showered mercy and compassion on me.  Roy told me often that he chose to see me as God sees me – special, loved, and forgiven.

“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ 
to be holy and without fault in His eyes. 
God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us 
to Himself through Jesus Christ. 
This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:4-5).

As we traveled the difficult road we were on, Roy showed me Jesus in every action and word.  Yes, there were times of painful discussion and there was a lot to work through.  However, Roy chose to offer me a gift that I longed to receive.  And, when I accepted the forgiveness he freely gave, though I hadn't yet forgiven myself, we turned together toward our Father and placed our marriage in His healing hands.  Roy’s commitment to me and to the reconciliation of our marriage strengthened the desire within me to do whatever needed to be done and to go through whatever refining fire God placed before us in order to have our relationship healed.  We were in this for the long run.  When we first said, “I do”, we were no longer two separate lives. We were joined as one by the One who loved us first. “…and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate” (Mark 10:8-9).

Roy showed me Jesus.  He demonstrated Christ’s love by giving me forgiveness that I didn't deserve and mercy when he could have chosen to do otherwise.  He gave me the gift of love. 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

Through my husband’s gift, I came to love him more deeply and more passionately than even when we first fell in love.  As God healed our marriage, and deepened our relationship with each other, our life together became like new wine poured into new wine skins – richer, bolder and fuller than ever before!

Thanking God for His miracles, 

Joan



Linked with Spiritual Sundays & Titus Tuesdays

9 Comments

  1. Joan - this is beautiful. God has blessed you with a wonderful husband. (And your testimony touched my heart. There isn't a single one of us that is immune to sin.)
    Blessings,
    Joan

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  2. Thank you, Joan! Yes, I am truly blessed by the gift my husband is to me! God sure knew what He was doing when He brought Roy into my life...a cord of three strands is not easily broken! Blessings to you, too! Through Him, Joan

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  3. Yours is truly a love story. Roy's example has turned into a beautiful gift of love to you. It's also lead to a powerful gift of love in your testimony. Janie

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  4. I love your series, my friend. It speaks of real love, your journey, where we can see Jesus clearly. Bless you and your husband.

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  5. Beautiful testimony of forgiveness. We've all needed forgiveness. There is such beauty in seeing true forgiveness in action.

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  6. Thank you, Anita! Roy and I are excited about this series and the things that we see God doing as we share our story with others! Your encouragement is a true blessing!

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  7. Yes, forgiveness is an incredible gift that is a blessing to both the giver and the receiver! Thank you for your kind comment!

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  8. Yours is truly a love story. Roy's example has turned into a beautiful gift of love to you. It's also lead to a powerful gift of love in your testimony.

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  9. Yes, as we love as Christ loves us, it is a powerful thing! He can move mountains! Blessings to you!

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