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by Jacquie deKroon
Sometime during the wintry night of
Three drugged and intoxicated men had come into our home, and beat my parents and myself. The intruders doused the beds and floors with gasoline and set on fire our house, leaving us all for dead. My father and I were able to flee the inferno, but the assailants killed my mother with their beating. The intruders were apprehended. Two were friends of my brother and the third was my brother himself, my only sibling. Fourteen months later all three were found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without eligibility for parole for 25 years. The courts gave them each a life sentence.
They received their just sentence under the law, but I too received a sentence. My life’s journey had been redefined. You can never fully understand how and why circumstances work together to produce so much tragedy and pain. A combination of anger, jealousy, and drugs concocted a deadly potion in my brother and the other perpetrators. But the reasons don’t explain the “why?”.
My mom’s death and the ensuing circumstances left me aching and vulnerable. There was a void in my life that longed to be filled. While I was recuperating from my injuries, I was invited to attend a youth group at a local church. I kept attending and a year later, I professed my faith in Christ. It came to me that the Holy Spirit had breathed life into my unconscious body that night of terror and I received a second chance to live. Now I wanted to live for God and discover His purposes for me.
In the safety of my new relationship with Jesus, I read the Bible a lot. At first the words of Matthew
As I continued to nurse my pain and invest energy into hating my offenders, I soon realized that my anger and hatred had become all-consuming. Later I realized that Christ gave His life for my sins after He was betrayed and beaten. He suffered and died on my behalf. I knew that God had forgiven me, and I wanted to continue to be forgiven; therefore, I knew I had to forgive. I walked into the prison to visit my brother, allowing the words of forgiveness to escape from my mouth, setting free both my brother and myself. I told him of my love for Jesus. I had to the power to forgive him and set him free because Christ forgave and set me free.
I’ve learned that God forgives instantly, but with me, He allows it to be a process. I know the process has been successful when my heart was filled with what the Bible calls “the peace that passes all understanding”.
Thirteen years later, I had the opportunity to put feet and hands to my forgiveness. My mother had two rings and since her death, both had been in my personal possession. I knew one had been meant for my brother. One day I felt God nudging me to offer him the ring. I brought up the subject, offering him our mother’s sapphire ring. His response was from the heart. He wept and through tears he said, “I didn't know you cared about me this much.” Tears rolled down my cheeks and I responded, “I love you.” This situation reminds me of another story, found in the Bible (Luke
Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
Is this the life for you?
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you'll experience life to the fullest.
