The Art of God’s grace is so beautiful that took in a messy place!
I am writing this not to glorify my brother or my family, but to God alone. It is all by the grace of God. I want this story to encourage others to believe that there is always hope in the Lord. Whatever circumstances you are facing right now, the Lord has always a way to overcome our trials and weaknesses by His grace, mercy, and love. He is only waiting for you to come near to Him.
Hhhmm..my brother!! He is a sweet brother to me. He is a loving person not only to us (siblings) but also to his children. He is not absolutely perfect, just like any other brother in a family, and father. But I know he has a heart that God sees, which people don’t. The Lord sees our hearts. But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV. The beauty of God’s eyes is when He sees the heart of a person out of its rebellion and stubbornness. Most often, God uses people who are stubborn, hard-headed, rebellious, and bad (outwardly) because He catches us through our weaknesses. As Apostle Paul said, “Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NKJV.
My brother has many weaknesses, just like any other human being. It tangled his life in every way. Yet, the Lord loves him precisely as He does to everyone. During college, he was in a danger situation because of his own choices in life. He opted to take the wide road rather than the narrow gate. He was living the life of the world that offers but leads to destruction. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV. As a young child, he raised up with Christian values, but he chose not to live by it. He might think that life is living according to what gives him the happiness and worth as a man through the world’s view. He joined a fraternity group since high school and ventured into different things that led him to bad consequences. Despite of our advice and our parents’ guidance, he kept on living life the way he wanted. People labelled him as a bad guy.
Many years had passed, February 2020 my sister called and sent me a message of a terrifying news about my brother. It happened the situation that we have been preventing with vigilance and even prayers. But God’s ways and thoughts are not ours. The Bible says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. Isaiah 55:8 NKJV. My brother went to prison. Me and my siblings cried, and afraid of what had happened. We were very anxious. We called each other for comfort and plan for the next step. I cannot forget when my siblings called me while I was at work. They were very emotional. Then I paused, kept myself to calm down and pray over the phone. I believed God was doing something about the situation. Right after the incident, the news flooded all over the social media and harsh judgments from people were fuming largely. It was horrible because the whole context of the news was incorrect. And it was very tempting to rant against those rumours, judgement, and accusations but the Lord helped me to convey my words according to what is true, right, and noble (Philippians 4:8). My heart was wrenching to respond according to what I felt at that moment, but God taught me to guard my emotions (heart).
And that was a few days of disquietness in my heart. Afterwards, the Lord led me to His room of worship and stillness. I was sobbing while singing in worship, pouring out to God all of my heartaches and worries, and praying. Then, there was something ran down to my body that felt like someone washed me with water to wake me up from something. And I believed that was the Holy Spirit that gave me the peace and calmness during my distress about my brother’s situation. It was difficult. It came the days into weeks, then weeks into months, and year. The enemy was trying to distract and destroy us by playing the conflict of each other’s opinion and decision about the case. But the Lord’s plan and purpose will always prevail. “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21, NKJV
What’s next?
Although the Lord gave me peace and assured me, I can trust him (Proverbs 3:5-6), the thought in my mind kept me haunting on what would be the next thing to do. Exchanging ideas and opinions amongst us siblings were in toll. Some suggested changing lawyer, others played the cards of plea bargain. But there was something in my conviction that we have just to wait for something greater that God would do. I kept holding on to my conviction to wait and keep praying. I always whispered in my prayer that, “God, I trust you with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). I know, You are taking care of my brother’s case already. I entrust my brother’s life to You.” Honestly, I have given my heart to Jesus and give in to His will about my brother’s life, whether someone would kill him inside the prison, or he would be plead guilty and pay the consequences for many years. Giving and trusting everything to Jesus without a single hesitation is – Surrendering all to Jesus! That was exactly I graciously survived my thoughts and heart every single day towards the situation of my brother. I always know of my limitations yet, I always believe God’s sovereignty. There are many things and situations that we do not have control over and cannot be changed according to what we want. There were moments I felt the roaring of fear and worries of my other siblings, but over time I pushed myself to believe what the Lord’s promise. And I know God would release my brother from that wall of a prison in the clear state from the accusation. Except without the knowledge of when and how, but had a heart of trusting Jesus that He would.
Weeks, months, year had passed. I have heard many stories about what the Lord has done in my brother’s life inside. How God changed him!! What the Lord asked him to do as a ministry inside. There is something about my brother’s personality that charm people. He is a public servant back home. Thus, the charismatic leadership of my brother has a higher calling for him during his adversary inside the prison. The Lord used that leadership skill into a compassionate and new heart through brokenness. Truly, God can change our hearts. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27. The days went by and God’s works inside the prison were tremendous, literally and spiritually. Hence, some self-willed, angry hearts were gradually soften through the Word of God (bible study). The chaotic situation changed with the Holy Spirit works in a peaceful and orderly life. The prisoners sang praises to God. They were actively studying the Word of God (Bible) through their bible study. Every Sunday they organized an exhortation with some inconsiderable amount of offering. And out of that amount of money, they helped other prisoners inside.
See!!! How the Glory of God works, even in the wilderness. It was not a peaceful and simple journey. It was full of heartaches, not only to my brother but also to his loved ones, and even the fellow prisoners. When the Lord worked the transformation inside the prison, the enemy was there, trying to stop the purpose of the Lord. But Jesus overcame the world! “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Literally, the Lord burned an image of His to teach them not to worship idols rather to worship the Lord in Spirit and truth. The fallen television (broken) to stop the prisoners watching pornography. Hearing all these stories reminded me about the time of Apostle Paul in the prison (Acts 16). The power of God’s sovereignty. The works of the Holy Spirit are real. It has seen to many occasions inside the prison. Even in our own lives in the outside world, many has witness the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord landed my brother in prison for a higher calling in his life and purpose. He loves my brother and the people inside who feels abandon by the partisan of this world’s point of view. Being a criminal (innocent or not) does not make you less in the heart of the Lord. Jesus Christ died for all humankind. “We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
More than a year had passed, one evening in July 2021, the Lord fulfilled His promise that He gave me. My brother was released and not guilty. The case was dismissed. We could not believe what had just happened! Most often, God work in ways that we don’t expect it. Indeed, His ways are not our ways, so as His timetable. When God told you to wait and trust Him, just obey. I have been a failure on waiting as well, but over time, God teaches me glory to glory in this vital lesson in our Christian walk. I was an impulsive person. Throughout my walk with the Lord, I have learned so much why we do not need to be impulsive, rather persevere while waiting for the Lord’s promise. He enlightened me about how to persevere against adversaries with victory in Jesus. Just like my brother, his walk with Jesus is not yet finish. “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6.
My Prayer
Now, that my brother gave himself to Jesus Christ. I pray that the Lord will give him strength and courage every day to face the journey through the narrow gate. His life may not be pleasant to the eyes of other people, but it is precious in the eyes of God. I know God will give him the wisdom and guidance that He needs as a public servant in which the Lord restored his job. The Lord will guide him as a father to his children. I also pray that his testimony will be a blessing to many according to God’s purpose and will. I declare victory over his life in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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