An Answered Prayer

 

When I was around the age of 4, I was molested by someone in my family. It was a recurring event, but fortunately it stopped when I was near the age of 6. The person who did it took care of me and my sister for a time. We were temporarily without our mother and father, and not old enough to go to school. He was what some would call in those years a "junk man". He collected broken down cars and sold the parts off of them at his junk yard. He was also an alcoholic. When he was sober, he was the nicest man you ever met. He usually began drinking around 11 in the morning, and was unpredictable the rest of the day.

Strange as it may sound, I have many happy memories of that time in my life. My sister and I explored the old cars in his junkyard and found great treasures. Underneath the seats and in the trunks there were things such as telephones, tape recorders, toys, hats, and jewelry…limitless fun for a 3 and 4 year old. We played racecar more times than you could count, and I always won. Often we went barefoot through the yard, tiptoeing around the broken glass and metal. When he had time, he took us to the movies or to get ice cream. He made up little songs for us and played games. I will never forget my favorite trips to McDonald's. In 1970 in California everything was different, even Mickey D's. They didn't have a drive through window yet, so Grandpa sat in the wrecker with my sister while I went in and got our food. I could barely see over the counter, but when I finally got someone to notice me I ordered hamburgers, fries, cokes, and paid the bill all by myself. We would eat in the truck and then head to our next destination. Usually we stood up in the seat, so we could see where we were going. I can't even remember a time we used seatbelts.

I finally told my best friend when I was in the 7^th grade. She kept it to herself for a long time, but finally insisted that I tell my mother. Not surprisingly, mom was furious and confronted my grandparents on the telephone immediately. That was the beginning of the end of my relationship with him. He denied it, and called me a myriad of hurtful names. I was not surprised that he lied. Even a child molester is capable of feeling shame. No one wants his shame broadcast to the world, and most would do anything to contain it.

Needless to say, the enemy of my soul used all of those things to distract me from God. There were years that I struggled to control my life and protect myself instead of letting Him do it. When I entered into my true relationship with God, my healing began. It would have been so much easier for me to continue to hate my Grandpa, but God's Word taught me that I had to forgive him, so I did. I laid my bitterness and hatred and anger at the foot of The Cross and walked away from it. I even wrote a letter of forgiveness and sent it to him.

Years later, I heard that his health was failing and he would not live much longer. I felt impressed to pray for his soul. It was easy to assume that he was "too far gone" and that it was too late to save him. At least the enemy wanted me to think that, but I prayed and asked in faith. My Heavenly Father is capable of ANYTHING. Now a few more years have gone by and his health is getting worse, and I have neither heard from him directly, nor have I seen him. I still love him, in Jesus' name. I don't want him to spend eternity in fire. I sorrow over what the enemy has done to his life, and the pain he once caused me and who knows how many other children.

As ugly as he has been in his 80+ years, God still loves him, and it is not His will that any man should perish. Somehow, some way, God got to my Grandpa's heart. I do not know how, when, where or why, but I know that I know that I know that I know. Last week when my mom was visiting for Christmas, I got a true gift from God; a treasure worth more than any gold, telephone, tape recorder, or toys! I got three facts about my Grandpa:

1. He told my mom that he regretted things he had done in his life, and wished he had not done them. (REMORSE/REPENTANCE)
   
2. He keeps a Bible on his desk at the junkyard, and refers to it frequently; sharing what he's read with other people. (ACCEPTANCE OF TRUTH)
   
3. When told he would not likely survive surgery last week, he answered that it was ok because he had made his peace with God. (RELATIONSHIP)
   

Isn't it beautiful? Only God can do that.