In the Presence of Grace

One of the most profound and humbling experiences of my life happened last year. My husband and I accompanied my brother and his wife into a courtroom to see the young man who, 18 months earlier, had been responsible for the death of my 24-year-old niece.

Winter 2014 - Bike accidentShe had been riding her bike home from work on a beautiful September evening. He went through a red light and struck her as she was crossing through that intersection. The next 18 hours at the hospital were a blur. Then, God took her home to be with Him. The moments since have been filled with deep grief and loss for our family. Our niece was a very bright light in our lives and no words can express the void with which we now live.

We arrived at the courthouse not knowing what to expect. Sometimes in our legal system there is very little information available, and there were many things we did not know. We prayed that God would give us grace and strength, that we would have the ability to represent Him well, and that we would have the opportunity to reflect all the things that meant so much to us about our niece. As you might imagine, it was an emotionally fraught time.

We were part of a sparse audience. The young man sat up at the defense table with his back to us. It was a little overwhelming to look at this young man who was the one responsible for the pain and devastation in our family. During the proceedings, my brother and his wife were asked to come forward and read a victim impact statement. They talked about their only daughter, who she was, and the enormity of what they, our family, and her friends had lost. They were unaware that, behind them, the young man had begun to sob. Then the moment came in the statement where my brother and sister-in-law verbally offered forgiveness to this young man. The court reporter began to cry. The judge called a short recess at the end of the statement.

After the court reconvened and the defense presented their material, there was an opportunity given to the young man to make a statement. He stood up, turned to face my brother and his wife, and gave a heart-wrenching expression of his sorrow and regret, describing how his life had been “frozen” since the moment of the accident and his very costly mistake. He wept deeply through 15 minutes of baring his soul before us.

As soon as the judge completed his ruling and the official court proceedings were adjourned, my brother was on his feet with his wife right behind him. They literally ran over to that young man, threw their arms around him, and hugged him for a very long time as they wept together.

My husband and I knew we were on sacred ground, witnessing the grace of God’s forgiveness in an immensely powerful way. We knew we were in the presence of One who is far greater than ourselves. The lawyers didn’t know what to do or say. Seeing the transforming power of forgiveness offered and received was beyond their experience.

We went home that day with a profound and humbling insight about the grace of God and the forgiveness He freely offered us at the foot of the Cross.  Forgiveness… Sacred…. Sacrificial…. Supernatural…. God’s grace extended to us.

—Published anonymously at the request of the family.