"How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure...."
So I watched a very emotional edition of Larry King Live last week. I don’t usually watch it, or any other news show for that matter (unless you count the Daily Show with Jon Stewart). But I’ll occasionally watch LKL when John MacArthur is on or someone else that I’m curious about in current events. I think the last time I watched it was when Terri Irwin was on after The Crocodile Hunter died. But last week was another show that I wanted to see. Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. For those that don’t know, last May the family experienced one of the most devastating events that could happen in a family. Their 5 year old daughter (adopted from China) was struck and killed in their driveway by their 17 year old son. The amount of grief is more than I could comprehend.
This is a situation that could devastate any family. The unbearable guilt that young man must be feeling. The grief of the parents compounded by the knowledge it was their son who hit her. It would be very easy to fall into resentment and blame. Let bitterness harden their hearts and divide their family. Thankfully, by the Grace of God, they are leaning on Him and are healing. Their testimony on how they have come together to get through this time was inspiring and really emotional.
The thing that struck me the most is the total, complete and instant forgiveness of their son. It was a total accident. By God’s grace, SCC was on the porch and saw him coming up the driveway, slow speed not on a cell phone. There was no room for doubt or questions, it was a tragic accident. But still, I don’t think anyone would be surprised if they blamed him or still had anger toward him. I’m not saying it would be right but I don’t think anyone would be surprised at the feelings. They didn’t. After it happened, the son panicked and started to run, just to get away from it happening, his brother chased after him and held him. Crying together, telling him he was loved. What struck me was that, even though SCC says he doesn’t remember it, he’s told as he drove past them to the hospital he yelled to his son “Your father loves you!” Now the complexity of this statement is striking in its simplicity. It could apply to either his earthly father or his Heavenly father. Either way its message is clear, you are loved despite this. Despite your actions. Love is unconditional, forgiveness complete. This was only moments after the accident, at a point in time where emotions are high, adrenaline is going. Despite that, through God, the entire family was already on the road to healing. Now they are of course still mourning, of course still healing. But through their faith they are able to make the leaps and bounds that others take years of therapy to accomplish.
Sadly, as the current events in life are challenging, developing growth (James 1), even though it is nowhere near the level the Chapman family has encountered, I can’t help but wonder if my own family would be mature enough in their faith to have the same response…
This is a situation that could devastate any family. The unbearable guilt that young man must be feeling. The grief of the parents compounded by the knowledge it was their son who hit her. It would be very easy to fall into resentment and blame. Let bitterness harden their hearts and divide their family. Thankfully, by the Grace of God, they are leaning on Him and are healing. Their testimony on how they have come together to get through this time was inspiring and really emotional.
The thing that struck me the most is the total, complete and instant forgiveness of their son. It was a total accident. By God’s grace, SCC was on the porch and saw him coming up the driveway, slow speed not on a cell phone. There was no room for doubt or questions, it was a tragic accident. But still, I don’t think anyone would be surprised if they blamed him or still had anger toward him. I’m not saying it would be right but I don’t think anyone would be surprised at the feelings. They didn’t. After it happened, the son panicked and started to run, just to get away from it happening, his brother chased after him and held him. Crying together, telling him he was loved. What struck me was that, even though SCC says he doesn’t remember it, he’s told as he drove past them to the hospital he yelled to his son “Your father loves you!” Now the complexity of this statement is striking in its simplicity. It could apply to either his earthly father or his Heavenly father. Either way its message is clear, you are loved despite this. Despite your actions. Love is unconditional, forgiveness complete. This was only moments after the accident, at a point in time where emotions are high, adrenaline is going. Despite that, through God, the entire family was already on the road to healing. Now they are of course still mourning, of course still healing. But through their faith they are able to make the leaps and bounds that others take years of therapy to accomplish.
Sadly, as the current events in life are challenging, developing growth (James 1), even though it is nowhere near the level the Chapman family has encountered, I can’t help but wonder if my own family would be mature enough in their faith to have the same response…