How often we find ourselves in a position; in need of forgiveness. 

For the heading of this week's Gem, I would like to relate an event that I experienced that was pivotal in my understanding of God's forgiveness; at a point that it changed my life. 

The story begins at a time after which a relative had died. He left behind a middle-age car; which no one seemed to want, so my mum made some enquiries on behalf of my brother; who dearly wanted the car for himself. 

Permission granted, we soon collected the vehicle, and before long, my brother was driving it around the property. It was his most significant source of joy, and as he rode in it each day: his satisfaction with it grew exponentially.

One day; a day on which I was feeling somewhat depressed, I asked my brother if he would mind if I drove his car. He said I could, as long as he could go with me. My younger sister also asked to join, and so: we went for a drive. 

We didn't drive far before reaching a circular track; once used to train racehorses. Now it was used mainly for drifting, by many a radical driver, and in my current state, I inclined to join them.

After two laps, I started to become overconfident, and, when taking a particularly rough corner, I lost control of the vehicle. Swerving from side to side, every control input I applied only made the situation worse. At seventy kilometres per hour, the car careened; side-on into a tree.

The moment the car started swerving; after hitting the rough corner, I knew I was not in control.
The tree disintegrated on impact; into convenient, firewood sized pieces before the car came to a stop before a wattle bush. 

Just before impact with the tree, it appeared that it would hit the car somewhere in the centre.

Providentially, the tree made its impact just forward of the driver door, where there is more reinforcement; rather than crushing in the side doors
which could have caused severe injuries to my sister, who was sitting in the back seat.

Dazed, I immediately asked: Is everyone alright? I thank God that both my brother and sister were amazingly unharmed!

After making sure that my brother and sister were okay, I began what I anticipated to be a very useless task: Apologising to my brother for what I had just done to his car. However, I was entirely unprepared for what I heard! "It's okay; I forgive you." I looked at him in complete disbelief! You said what? I asked: "Don't worry about it! I forgive you." 

I was stunned! Never before had I experienced this kind of forgiveness from anyone. I had just crashed my brother's car that he had given to him, and he could forgive me! 

The car sustained damage in the front quarters but was otherwise driveable, so my brother drove us home; I, still in a somewhat dazed state.

When we arrived home, my mum asked: "What happened?" After my brother had explained what happened, I said to mum: I don't understand how he could forgive me like that! "You owe your brother much gratitude!" She said. I wholeheartedly agreed, and still do.

The car was a driveable wreck. I too, after crashing my brother's car, felt like a walking wreck. 

Many of us reach a point in our lives when we find ourselves in a wreck. Some of us may have wrecked a car, while for others, this may have been an entirely emotional experience. What matters is that we, at this pivotal point in our lives, fall on the rock/stone and are broken. 

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Mathew 21:44

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After reading this text, we can appreciate the necessity of us falling on this stone and not the other way around. 
If I were to have taken the impact of the car; instead of the tree: the outcome would have been dramatically different. I would have likely died; without hope of salvation!

This "Breaking" is vital to our repair. Until we reach a point in our lives where we "crash," we often never see our broken condition, thus, we continue driving our damaged, broken "car," when in Christ's workshop, we can find complete restoration; free of charge.

There, He will not only repair our external damage. We will receive a complete and thorough overhaul; covering every aspect that requires re-creation, vital if we are to become new creatures in Christ.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

2 Corinthians 5:17

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For some of us, crashing an automobile may not be necessary to reach this point in our lives. However, if we do find ourselves in such a situation: let it be a lesson to us for the future, and remember God in your darkest hour: He will help you! 

He promises us in His word

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10-13 

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We all know the phrase: "Accidents happen." Well yes, sometimes they are unavoidable; while other times we bring accidents upon ourselves, through careless or negligent actions. 

When we experience an accident; whatever the cause, we must stay strong:

 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

~ 2 Timothy 1:7 

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"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

~ Hebrews 4:16 

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