Sunday, September 5, 2021

Dear God,

The morning message was on forgiveness.  What is more difficult than forgiving someone who has radically harmed you?  Yet, you yourself said "Forgive 70 times 7."

My nephew was killed in a fire set by his adopted son.  Just 45 years old he was able to get his partner, his ten-year-old son and 11-month-old baby out the second-story window but not himself.  He was found rolled up in a ball in the upstairs bathroom.  My sister was broken.  At the hospital she lay across his lifeless body.  As family and friends gathered by his hospital bed, we all wept, even wailed.  When I conducted his memorial service, all I could see and hear was a sea of crushed family members.  It was only by your divine power and strength I was able to provide a service for Jason.  The day before thinking I simply could not lead the service, I literally fell to my knees weeping asking for your strength to do what needed to be done.  I had to provide comfort for my family and provide some way to make sense of the great tragedy.

Jordan was just fifteen years old, a troubled kid abused by a biological uncle who now was in prison for life for killing two men.  Jordan didn't have a chance at life until Jason reached out and gave him a way.  But Jordan was too broken.  Jason had him on a waiting list for a in-patient psychological care facility but there were no beds so Jordan acted out.  He lost, Jason lost and family and friends lost.

But sometime later Jesus came along and helped my sister forgive Jordan who is now in prison for 30 horrible years.  Prison for a troubled boy.  So tragic.  But forgiveness helped my sister survive although she spent nearly four years thinking of suicide.  I pray for Jordan daily.  I pray forgiveness helped him too.

Loving God,

thank you

for your mercy.

Show us

the means

by which

to forgive

one another.

Help us

trust you

and surrender

to your care.

There is

no greater love

than yours.

Yours, Andrea