Seeking Reconciliation

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. Isaiah 55:6-7

Is the marriage over if your spouse walks out? The answer is an emphatic no. Marital separation means that the marriage needs help. The biblical ideal calls for reconciliation. You may not feel like reconciling, and you may see no hope for reunion. The process may frighten you, but may I challenge you to follow the example of God himself?

Throughout the Bible, God is pictured as having a love relationship with his people—Israel in the Old Testament and the church in the New Testament. On many occasions, God found himself separated from his people because of their sin and stubbornness. In a sense, the entire Bible is a record of God’s attempts to be reconciled to his people. Note that God always pleaded for reconciliation on the basis of correcting sinful behavior. Never did God agree to reconcile while Israel continued in sin. In the passage above, the prophet Isaiah passionately called people to turn away from their sins and toward the Lord. God was near, and his forgiveness was available.

There can be no reconciliation without repentance. In a marriage, that means mutual repentance, because the failure has involved both parties. Dealing with your own failures is the first step in seeking reconciliation.

PRAYER
Father, I am thankful for your example of calling for loving reconciliation. I confess my own sins in my marriage. Help me to deal with those first as I seek reconciliation with my spouse.