Public Servants' Prayer

2020 VISION – Lessons from a POW

My husband’s father was a POW in World War II. A tank mechanic, he was captured at the Battle of the Bulge and spent much time in German POW camps. Once repatriated, he spent his nights in a separate bedroom, afraid that his recurring nightmares might cause him to lash out and hurt those he loved.

One summer, when my husband returned home from an extended duty assignment, I asked him to go with me to a Labor Day picnic held by my new friends, Jesse and Nettie Miller. This was in the days before Skype, email, or texts, and we communicated through letter writing. I had been attending Mrs. Miller’s Bible study, and was hearing the Gospel for the first time. On Friday nights, the kids and I had been attending their family night study and fellowship. I had been learning about Jesse’s similar POW experience. He had been stationed in the Philippines in WW2, and was captured by the Japanese when they invaded the islands after bombing Pearl Harbor. He was a survivor of the infamous Bataan Death March and of four years working in the Japanese mines. After repatriation, he took his GI Bill, went to Bible college, and then returned to Japan as a missionary.

My husband agreed to go to the picnic. I had been telling him about Jesse Miller in my letters. Now I will tell you my husband’s side of the story, a piece of the puzzle that he did not reveal to me until months or maybe years later. “As we drove up the Miller’s driveway to find a place to park, I saw two cars in front of the garage, one a Honda, one a Toyota. I thought to myself, ‘No one is that forgiving. I want to meet this man.’” And so my husband heard the Gospel, and we both came to a saving knowledge of Christ. Today I am assured that my husband is now home in heaven with His Savior, and with his dear buddy, Jesse, because of Jesse’s example and practice of living out the Gospel.

Forgiveness. Simple in concept, not so simple in practice. Much of the angst in our families, culture, and time, could be fixed with simple acts of forgiveness. We harbor so much anger, bitterness, and anxiety, looking for someone else to blame, someone else to change. Many try to medicate the symptoms looking for relief. Better yet, many believe that if we just have the right laws all could be fixed. But neither medications nor laws change hearts. These are heart issues.

The heart of the Gospel is forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ, we, the unholy, are forgiven of our transgressions and reconciled to Holy God. Jesus tells us: “Forgive and it will be forgiven you…” “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” “Love your enemies…do good…lend…and your reward shall be great.” “Bless them which persecute you…and curse not.” Has anyone come to mind as you read this? Then, “Go and do thou likewise…”

2020 Vision 09 - "Lessons From A P.O.W."