Reconciliation
and Restoration-Lessons Learned
By Jeannine Sawall
“Now all things are of
God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us
the ministry of reconciliation.”
2
Corinthians 5:18 (NIV)
Almost
six years have passed since I received the letter from my bio-dad, Larry, and
the five-year anniversary of my mom’s passing is quickly approaching. As I
reflect back, God has taught me many things:
1)
God’s
timing is always perfect. Larry’s letter was sent at a time I would be open to his
becoming a part of my life, and he was eager to become a part of my and my
family’s lives.
2)
God
is always working to perfect us and have us reflect His Son’s image. The Lord
knew my mom was going home 16 days after she and Larry reconnected. He allowed
her to work through the conflicting, painful emotions that Larry’s re-entry
into our lives had brought to the surface. He gave her peace on THIS side of
heaven before she entered into eternal peace. That was a gift for her, for Larry
and for me.
3)
God
is never done writing our story and it’s never what we think it’s going to be.
After 41 years, I never expected to hear from my bio-dad, let alone form a loving
relationship with him. Yet, he has become part of my extended family. What a
blessing to “feel at home” with my father.
4)
God’s
ultimate story is shared when we allow ourselves to be used by Him. Larry often
brings up faith. He says he “sees” the difference that was in my mom and is in
me and wants faith like that, but he felt he let us down and struggled with
unconditional acceptance. How could we just let him into our lives, “no strings
attached”? It has opened up many opportunities to share the gospel with him and
let him know the only way we were able to offer unconditional love and
acceptance was because of the unconditional love and acceptance given to us
through Christ’s death and resurrection.
God
grieves brokenness. However, our God is a God of healing!! Out of the pain and
heartache of a broken relationship, an unplanned pregnancy and an absentee
father, God has brought beauty from ashes. He has reconciled relationships and
restored hearts. While my mother/daughter story is complete, He continues to
write my father/daughter story. It’s not what I would have planned or expected,
but God is faithful and good and He is the source of all blessings…even
unexpected ones that show up as a letter in God’s perfect timing.
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
Where in your life do you need to acknowledge lessons God has taught you?
2.
With whom do you need to share the gospel today?
FURTHER
READING:
Jeannine is a wife
and busy mother of four boys. She works in property management, serves in Café and
actively walks along those experiencing grief.
