‘We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
Paul’s Change of Plans
We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you. ‘ 2 Corinthians 1:8-12(NLT)
‘For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.’ Romans 6:4-11(NLT)
God giving His son as a demonstration of perfect love is part of His grand plan for restoring and redeeming all of creation. All throughout scripture, we see how God brings dead things to life and heals brokenness. He has the power to restore all things, including your marriage. Restoration is part of His nature.
In the book of Genesis, we read about Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery and how God restores that situation by eventually putting Joseph in a high-ranking government position. While Joseph faces various types of adversity, he also recognizes that God worked out a way to save his family in a time of famine. Joseph realizes that even though his brothers meant to do something evil, “God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today”(Genesis 50:20). In a beautiful demonstration of grace, Joseph not only forgives his brothers, but he saves their lives and invites them into his new home in Egypt.
The New Testament is full of similar stories of restoration. When Jesus hears that Lazarus died, He goes to the grave and raises him to life (John 11:1-46). He also raises a widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17) and a man named Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:49-56) from the dead.
The best example of Christ’s work of restoration, though, is His own resurrection. Not only did he defeat physical death for himself, He also made a way for His people to once again be reconciled to Him. We can now pursue Him and have a relationship with Him, joining in on the mission to renew all things to His original design.
If God can bring restoration in all these places, He has the power to restore broken marriages, heal pain, and bring life where it seems impossible. While you read these stories of God’s restorative nature, rejoice in the reality that the same God works in your life too.
from God Can Restore All Things (Even Your Marriage)