The Love of a Grandfather

A few weeks ago on a trip, I met the young couple that sent me this email. We had some time to share about some brokenness in her family and some of her disappointment at the state of those relationships. Last week I got this email sharing the rest of the story and how Father has been at work in all of them by simple acts of responding to his nudgings. I loved the story and with her permission am sharing it with you. I hope it encourages you to whatever God is doing in some of your broken relationships.

Ever since we gave our hearts to Jesus, we have always thought that we will go back to Japan (where I am from) some day to witness people. The old way of idea was about “we have to do something”,” be a part of something”, and the kind of idea came natural to us.

I have been (in the U.S.) for 16 years. My family and I haven’t have the close relationship we once had. (Many of us) think that we have to repay to God for what He has done. We have missed the most important thing, that is God simply Loves us. I am significant; you are significant; every person is significant to God. We have heard this many times before, but, through our conversation, we have come to understand that. When we discovered this, we couldn’t hold our tears back. I truly love these moments.

Well, let me update my family situation. In your e-mail, you wrote “when we no longer have to defend ourselves, some amazing things can happen with other people.” Somehow, I couldn’t get that out of my mind. Finally, I decided to talk to my grandfather. Honestly, I have been a younger son in the story of the prodigal son. I didn’t ask him in the way that the younger son did at the beginning of the story, but,grandfather was willing to help me out for my tuition, when I left home. I was supposed to go back home in one year and get a job to repay him.

Well, my life took a different turn. I got married and for long time, I wasn’t able to work here in U.S. with the immigration issue that I had. Long story short I hadn’t kept my promise with my grandfather (and) my mother used that against me to play her power games. I finally was able to apologize to my grandfather for not keeping my promise. (I really don’t know why it took me THIS long time to talk to him about this issue.) The response I got was, “That’s OK, honey.” In the sense that he had forgotten all about that for a long time. Moreover, he asked me to visit him soon. (He offered the trip cost) The reconciliation was sweet.

I was sitting on the couch, just in the awe about this whole thing. There’s a little nudge in my heart, “Have you read this story that just happened before?”

Yes… the story of the prodigal son. I realized that my grandfather just showed me the same unconditional love, and was still waiting for me. I have never dreamed of that kind of love. The story became alive in my heart! Well, my mother will not be able to play her game with me any longer. I feel so relieved, but I need to rebuild relationship with her. (Still I have no clue…) I’m on this journey for only 5 months, I am thrilled to get to know Him.

Sometimes something as simple as a phone call can shine the light of God’s healing in the most troubling of circumstances and disarm the attempts of the enemy to drive people further apart and deeper into the darkness. Not only can it promote healing with those we’ve felt cut off from, but it will reveal some wonderful insights about Father’s love.

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