Joan E. Mathias' - Gardenjems
  • Gardenjems
  • About
  • Contact

Forgiveness is Absolute

7/24/2022

Comments

 
Picture
Those who were in the twin towers on 9/11/2001 and lived through it were forever changed. Such is the case for Leslie Haskin, who put her experience into words in her book Between Heaven and Ground Zero. The horror she endured left her with PTSD. Making her way down 36 floors amidst collapsed walls and stairs, shell-shocked people, and dead bodies imprinted her mind with confusion, pain, and fear. 
 
Here is some of what Leslie wrote about her life after 9/11:  "I rode an elevator 36 floors and got off in the middle of a lunatic's delusion of justice. The terrorist attacks of September 11 shattered my life and left me with nothing to rebuild...I had flashbacks that caused me to react. They felt as real as being there all over again. I could smell the building. I could hear the bells. I was drawn to roadkill...I was anxious all the time and afraid of my own backyard, convinced that the Taliban was hiding inside my shed...My future was hopeless...I had panic attacks when left alone and anxiety attacks when too many people were around. Sleep was impossible without sleeping pills, which only worked for a few hours." (Pages 122 - 123)
 
Leslie felt the tug of God on her heart as she went through her healing journey. Psalm 13 became significant to her. It starts with questions: "How long wilt Thou forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? (Verse 1 - KJV) The Psalm ends with an acknowledgment of God's faithfulness. "But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord because He hath dealt bountifully with me." (Verses 5-6 - KJV) As she healed, the Lord began to speak to Leslie about forgiveness. On one of her morning walks she heard it. "This morning, through the open heart of a CD, there is an insistent yet gentle call. 'Forgiveness is absolute.'" 
 
God's timing is perfect. He knows what we are capable of and when we can do what He desires. Leslie records what happened on her walk:  "For the first time, I cried with my whole heart and soul—with abandon—like there was no one else in the world but me, and Islam. I fell to the ground and my knees scraped against gravel. Tears poured down my face. I was weak and divided and I remembered… Everything that I couldn't forget. I remembered what they did. I remembered all that they did—the massacre, the horror, and all the intent. Then...I let go. You see, I knew in my heart that there was no turning back. Because when it is time to leave a place, it is impossible to stay. I was moving on. Forgiveness is not conditional. 'And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.'" (Pages 142 - 144)
 
Leslie calls the chapter on forgiveness "Light of the World - Into the Heart of Islam." She begins by re-writing a note found in the clothing of a dead child at Ravens Bruck Concentration Camp. Here is what it said:  "O Lord, Remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us:  Instead, remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering, our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all of these fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness."
 
This brings me to tears. I am sure that our Savior, Jesus Christ, must have a seat of honor for this person in Heaven. What maturity! What insight! What compassion! What love! Whoever this person is, they truly understood what the Lord did for them on the Cross. We should think in a similar way!
Comments

    Joan E. Mathias

    Categories

    All
    Authority In Jesus
    Celebrations/Holidays
    Foundation Of Our Nation
    Hebrew Calendar/Celebrations
    Intimacy With God
    Israel/Jewish People
    Kingdom Living
    Music
    Nature
    Revival
    Roots Of Our Christian Faith
    Victory In Christ

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from BPPrice, joncutrer, kennethkonica, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, GollyGforce - Living My Worst Nightmare, ohitzanna, AlicePopkorn2, slgckgc, Chris_Short, homethods, PrincessAshley, Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, donald judge, Branson Missouri, slgckgc, David A Mitchell, Martin Pettitt, homethods, toptenalternatives, llamnudds, mikecogh, Martin Pettitt, kun0me, mareeshastar, A_Peach, Boris Kukushkin, cantanima, Renaud Camus, Accretion Disc, teofilo, Dushan and Miae, bertknot, Ellemgee Photography, Robert Couse-Baker, Oh Paris, peter.tully64, Patricia Pierce, http://globalquiz.org, *_*, markus spiske, Rob.Bertholf, blondinrikard, archer10 (Dennis), Art4TheGlryOfGod, Arran Bee, James St. John, blumenbiene, Like us on Facebook at CAGuard, Kanguru Adventure, USDAgov, hassage, Vironevaeh, Rick Camacho, Rennett Stowe, Accretion Disc, alexander.parsalidis, Infomastern, Actual Brian Crawford, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, grongar, pburka, James St. John, daspader, Giuseppe Milo (www.pixael.com), gitsul., Traveller-Reini, slgckgc, xiquinhosilva, Bernt Rostad, EinarMostad, afunkydamsel, byzantiumbooks, drewgstephens, Rod Waddington, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, Antonio Calero Garcia, Leimenide, idovermani, Kaarina Dillabough, Janitors, Somuchtwosay, michael_swan, Joey Z1, cristina.sanvito, Wonderlane, cliff1066™, Elekes Andor, Vincent_AF, DonkeyHotey, @jbtaylor, Jason Rosenberg, ian?, Ian W Scott, markbyzewski, cowbite, Infomastern, homegets.com, chrismetcalfTV, wuestenigel, timpeartrice, David Jones, Randy Son Of Robert, jimw7, Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon, Rachel-Esther, runneralan2004, hedera.baltica, CaliforniaDFW, spbda, itmpa, Sir, Rony, slgckgc, Boston Public Library, oliver.dodd, slgckgc, barnimages.com, fbaett, Oli-Oviyan, Robert Couse-Baker, hello-julie, blmurch, Lonni.besançon, DPP Business and Tax, Ervins Strauhmanis, Rylee Isitt, kuhnmi, Björn S..., Laurie Nature Bee, samsaundersleeds, Waiting For The Word, Bananenfalter, plantronicsgermany, Mark Wordy, JoanDragonfly, Lodo27, aaron_anderer, x1klima, Photography by Brian Lauer, amseaman, emiliechenphotography, Mangiafazula07, 津山市立図書館 Public Library of Tsuyama, Rob.Bertholf, slgckgc, srqpix, pburka, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, Christine Wagner, Jaykhuang, sonstroem, Sam Howzit, C Jill Reed, John.P.Rairdon, Steenbergs, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife, FotoGuy 49057, Neeta Lind, cattan2011, wuestenigel, D. Scott Taylor, The Travelling Bum, South African Tourism, claydevoute, Skley, Pedro Paulo Palazzo, alexliivet, JIRCAS, pasa47, blumenbiene, *_*, susieq3c, ishaandave1991, Me in ME, slashvee, mutovkin, kcxd, TravelBakerCounty, wuestenigel, Don & Janet Beasley, Schneidersphotography, Panegyrics of Granovetter, Eusebius@Commons, USDAgov, edenpictures, slgckgc, Ninara, Carly & Art, elmetatron, slgckgc, BadSoull, NathalieSt, Humphrey King, Mark Berbezier
  • Gardenjems
  • About
  • Contact