Sweet Sounds From Heaven

She was awaken with the sounds of wailing. Everyone was bawling their eyes out. Oh my! She thought, what in the world could be so bad to make everyone hurt so deeply? She sat up and rubbed her sleepy eyes, and asked, “what’s wrong, why is everyone crying?” “Your mother died last night,” they said. This 8 year old didn’t know much, but she knew what death was, she’d seen the graveyard up on the hill . Still gawking in disbelief, she said, “That’s impossible, she is supposed to come home from the hospital today, daddy said so.”   “I know honey, they consoled, something must have gone horribly wrong.”

Everyone who knew her, loved her. She had an incredible ability to make everyone feel comfortable immediately. Once “hellos” were exchanged, no more a stranger. People connected with mama (Mary Jean); they felt like she was a life long friend. They could confide in her and trust her with their deepest thoughts, an attribute not many can lay claim to. The most irksome thing about mama, is that she thought she was invincible. That is a serious short sight, as she was always taking care of everyone in need. Everyone, except herself. She would have been 26 had she lived until April, but she died in February at the unthinkable age of 25. Everyone was stunned but me, and I was numb.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes, things happen and we just act like ho-hum. Well, not really ho-hum, but no one would ever in a million years know that we were totally broken inside. Seems as if I went through life that way, until God cornered me in 1978. God had revealed Himself to me as the Wonderful Lover of my soul. I had been listening to tapes on forgiveness all day. Finished with the last tape, and God said, “now let’s practice what we have learned. Think of anyone who has hurt you and we are going to forgive them.” Didn’t take long to collect some names. I was ready. God said, “you need to add your mother.” “My mother?, I said, she’s been dead since 1953.” God said, “yes, and you’ve been angry about it ever since.” I was shocked!, but I knew God had struck a main cord in my life.

As an act of my will, I forgave from my heart several people, including my mother, who died so young, and abandoned me. I had no clue of the baggage I had been needlessly carrying around. Once forgiveness was vocally expressed, it was like I had a shower on the inside. Sometimes, things happen that we have absolutely no control over. It’s not our fault. We had nothing to do with it, but it attaches it’s hurtful self to us like a leach, sucking the very life out of us. Unfair? Yes! But, without a doubt, we have the privilege to Forgive and Let God Heal us. He knows exactly how to recompense us for life’s wrongs.

The famous “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:12 summarizes forgiveness: forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Verse 15, however, is paramount: But, if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Harboring Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. Forgiveness does more for the forgiver than the forgiven, especially if we’re angry at God or someone departed. Like a rainbow that shows itself after a serious rain, God is Faithful! Forgiveness is the Pot O’ Gold at the end of that rainbow.

Filed under: Spiritual Insights