No kidding…today a lady wrecked off the road and into my yard. It seems that her front tire blew out and she lost control of the vehicle. I was painting boards by the garage when I glimpsed this car suddenly flying past me into the field. Must say that I didn’t really expect that today. I rushed over to see if she was ok, while Heather called 911. Poor woman, she was bawling her eyes out. “It’s all my fault! It’s all my fault!” she continued to yell. She opened the door and got out afraid of looking at me. I grabbed her hand, telling her it was ok. Out of nowhere she grabs me in a tight hug. “I’m so sorry,” she said, “I destroyed your yard. Look at it.” I replied, “Your life and soul matter more to me than any piece of dirt. I am not holding this against you, so it doesn’t matter anymore.” She started crying like there was no tomorrow. Eventually she calmed down a little and I had her sit on our porch swing were we gave her some coffee. Fortunately, she was unharmed and her vehicle was able to be fetched out of our garden and repaired today enough to drive again. So many things leap out at me today thinking about this event. First, again death has come close but passed me by. Each time I am not hesitant to thank God above. That is shallow, though, and just the tip of the surface. There is power in forgiveness. It freed me from hatred and her from guilt. The man I was before would have been quick to react in hatred, anger, and a spirit of vengeance. That could have ensnared us both. How thankful I am for being a new creation in Christ. Now an even deeper level: This woman had a spirit of repentance. She was legitimately sorry and basically threw herself to my mercy and judgment. What if she came out of the crash in a belligerent mood? She could just as well have come out cursing me, blaming everyone and everything else, and operating in a spiteful and non-repentant spirit. On earth, my forgiveness would free me, but be like hot coals put upon her head due to the spirit of her heart. That’s yet another day of mercy on earth. There is still time to repent on earth, even after the event. One day, though, death will come quickly to us just as this busted tire came to her. We will all come crashing into God’s yard, so to speak. Will you come crashing in with a spirit of repentance before God and forgiveness in Christ, or with a rebellious spiteful spirit? Depending on which determines whether God will hug you and wipe away your tears, or cast you out into hot coals were you can rage in anger and grit your teeth, screaming to everyone its not your fault.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 01:14:48 +0000
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