[Faith-talk] FW: [masterslist] The Miracle Of Forgiveness And Healing

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: "Dean Masters" <dwmasters at earthlink.net>
To: "masters list" <masterslist at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [masterslist] The Miracle Of Forgiveness And Healing
Date: 
Thu, 9 Jun 2011 10:16:09 -0400

The Miracle of Forgiveness and Healing

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at:
www.assistnews.net
 -- E-mail:
assistnews at aol.com
Monday, April 11, 2011

The Miracle of Forgiveness and Healing

By Rick Marschall
Special to ASSIST News Service

SWARTZ CREEK MI (ANS) -- Very much a Lenten story.

The sister and brother-in-law of a friend of mine are missionaries in
Mexico 
Their agency is called Last Frontiers, and this is story about their 
family's
life this week.

Ed and Denise Aulie work primarily with indigenous peoples of Mexico --  
specifically the Nahuatl of Veracruz, and the Ch'ol of Chiapas. They also 
speak
in congregations throughout Mexico giving studies of God's Word. They are

church planters, and they also minister through literacy training,
medical 
service
for the sick, agricultural work, and construction of homes for woman who
are 
alone.

They have worked in the mission field with indigent Mayan and Aztec
tribes 
in Mexico for more than 30 years as a married couple; all their children 
were
born in Mexico. Through the years they have mentored many young people
who 
now serve across the world, including in the US, France, Germany, Italy, 
Canada,
China, India, Yemen and Iraq.

Their story, this week, is about one of their own children, however. Ed
will 
tell the story:

Over the years we have seen many a mangled bicycle lying on the ground,
with 
a sheet covering the rider. We have seen crowds gather around a toppled 
donkey
cart with a child or grandfather lying nearby, having been hit by a
vehicle. 
Yet we never thought that one day it would be our son lying in the
oncoming
traffic lane after being hit by a car at full speed.

But there was no white sheet.

In Mexico, there is a unique legal requirement. It is called "The
Pardon." 
When there is an accident involving injury to a person, the designated 
guilty
party is taken to prison and held until he is absolved of his offense.
This 
law, in effect, condemns one as guilty until proven innocent. The only
way
the guilty person is freed is if the offended party authorizes an
official 
pardon.

Three hours after the accident I entered the police station. The man who 
drove the car that hit my son Mark was anxious and fearful, his face
drawn. 
I
extended my hand to Alfredo (not his real name) and said, "Thank you for
not 
running from the scene of the accident."

"I would never do that," he replied.

"No," I said, "but many people do."

He quickly assured me that his insurance would cover everything. I was 
greatly relieved.

The "sword" of a prison stay had been held silently over Alfredo's head
all 
those hours. That "sentence" of the law had been eating away at him. The 
police
chief presented me with the document of pardon. Without hesitation, I
signed 
the release. I looked over to Alfredo and smiled; I saw his shoulders
relax
and he sighed in relief. Gone was his fear and overwhelming guilt. Choked

up, he repeated "Gracias, Gracias."

"Señor Alfredo," I said as I stood and faced him. "What I have done for
you 
tonight is very little compared to the need we all have when we stand
before
God, the righteous judge. There will be no way we can free ourselves --
not 
by bail, and not by influential friends. Our debt to God is enormous."
His
eyes welled up with tears.

"Do you know where you will go if you die tonight?" Alfredo was taken
aback 
with fearful surprise, "I don't know. I really don't know!" I told him
that
there was only One who could free him of his debt, only One who could put

his signature on that document of pardon.

"It's just that simple. Just as I signed to give you liberty, in the same

way God sent His only Son to offer you freedom. Jesus signed 'The Pardon'
at 
a
huge cost -- not with money but with His own blood. When He died in our 
place, He bore the punishment we deserve. If you would trust in Him, 
Alfredo --
trust in Jesus as your Redeemer, Savior, and Lord -- not only freedom,
but 
eternal life will be yours."

Alfredo was free to go. There were no longer any charges against him. Yet
he 
didn't walk away. He followed me outside to see my wrecked motorcycle, 
saying
that he needed to tell me something. "God IS speaking to me," he
revealed. 
"Just as you have been so noble and kind in forgiving me, I have to
forgive.
I need to forgive my wife for wrong she has done to me. I have been very 
harsh toward her. Because of that, we are now separated."

It was wrenching to see a diagram of the accident and know that the
little 
stick figure lying in the oncoming traffic lane represented my son. As I 
looked
at the battered helmet and the crushed metal saddle bag, I marveled at
how 
Mark's leg was protected from amputation, and his life was spared. I
looked
at the mangled motorcycle jacket with its protective armor and thought of

the "full armor" of God, which protects us spiritually and physically.

Mark had not one broken bone, despite having been struck by a speeding
car 
that never saw him and never braked. The impact sent him flying into the 
windshield
and bouncing 20 feet to the pavement. The neurosurgeon, after seeing the 
MRIs, marveled. He told Mark, "These results show that you are on the 
opposite
side of the spectrum of almost everyone who comes into my office." The 
doctor fixed his eyes on Mark and declared, "Marcos, you are alive now 
because you
have a purpose and a mission. Fulfill it."

God is merciful and good. Mark's recovery will be slow but sure. We ask
for 
your prayers for him and his future, and prayers for Alfredo. God is not 
finished
with his story yet either. He is coming to our home this Sunday afternoon
to 
visit.

Finally, would YOU ask God to give you the grace to give "The Pardon" to 
anyone in your life, whether they are waiting for it or not? Don't let a 
sword
hang over that person's head a minute longer.

"Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful." [Luke 6:36]

+

I believe that the meaning, and to major extent the essence, of the
Easter 
story is in this letter. The purpose of the Incarnation. the offer of
pardon
for our sins. the role of forgiveness. sharing the Good News. The
meaning, 
and to a major extent the essence, of the Easter story is neutralized in
our
lives if we keep it as a historical episode from 2000 years ago. It is
not 
only relevant for today. It must HAPPEN every day, in each of our lives.

+

Click for a related music video: "I Can Only Imagine (Puedo Imaginarme)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Q3GgGdZb8_E#MondayMinistry_4-11-11

If you are interested in the ministry of Last Frontiers, its site can be 
found at
http://www.lastfrontiersmission.com/
 to learn about their missions, their news updates, their support 
opportunities.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Rick Marschall is the author of more than 60 books and hundreds of
magazine 
articles in many fields, from popular culture (Bostonia Magazine called
him
"perhaps America's foremost authority on popular culture") to history and

criticism; country music, television history, biography and children's 
books.
He is a former political cartoonist, editor of Marvel Comics, and writer
for 
Disney comics. For 10 years he has been active in the Christian field, 
writing
devotionals; co-authoring The Secret Revealed with Dr Jim Garlow; and 
writing a biography of Johann Sebastian Bach for the "Christian
Encounters" 
series
to be published by Thomas Nelson (2011). Rick is a former Director of 
Product Development for Youth Specialties. He is recipient of the 2008 
"Christian
Writer of the Year" award from the Greater Philadelphia Writer's
Conference, 
and produces a weekly e-mail devotional, "Monday Morning Music Ministry."
His e-mail address is:
AmericaCiv at aol.com.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Dean Masters, owner of the Masters List
"I would ratyher walk in the dark with Jesus than to walk in the light on
my 
own." Wayne Watson
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/masterslist 




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