Thursday 18 October 2012

The beauty of godliness

Romania entered the World War 2 on the side of Germany . As a result thousands of Romanian Jews were killed or deported. Wurmbrand’s wife had grown up in a Jewish family; her parents, one of her brothers, three sisters and other relatives all died at the hand of the Nazis.
 
On one occasions after the war the Wurmbrand’s landlord told them that there was a troublesome man living in the house who was boasting of how he had volunteered to kill Jews during the war. He had worked in the same area as Wurmbrand’s wife’s family had died.
    
Wurmbrand prayed and then went to meet this man in the landlord’s quarters. As they talked it transpired that the former Nazi loved music. So Richard invited this man up to his flat so that he could play some tunes for him on the piano.
     
After a while Richard stopped playing and said to the man. ‘I’ve something very important to say to you … If you look through that curtain you will see someone is asleep in the next room. It’s my wife, Sabina. Her parents, her sisters, and her twelve-year-old brother have been killed with the rest of her family. You told me that you had killed hundreds of Jews near Golta, and that is where they were taken. You yourself don’t know who you have shot, so we can assume that you are the murderer of her family.’
    
The man jumped up in a rage but Richard continued. ‘Now—let’s try an experiment. I shall wake my wife and tell her who you are, and what you have done. I can tell you what will happen. My wife will not speak one word of reproach! She’ll embrace you as if you were her brother. She’ll bring you supper, the best things she has in the house.
   
‘Now, if Sabina, who is a sinner like us all, can forgive and love like this, imagine how Jesus, who is perfect in love, can forgive and love you! Only turn to Him—and everything you have done will be forgiven!’
  
The former Nazi feel to his knees asking God for his forgiveness! Richard woke his wife and explained what was going on. She came out in her dressing-gown and embraced him. They wept in each others arms. She then went to prepare some food for him. Then Richard went and carried his young son who was sleeping. Only a few hours earlier the former Nazi had boasted about killing Jewish children. He expected Richard to start accusing him. Instead, Wurmbrand explained, ‘Do you see how quietly, he sleeps? You are also like a newborn child who can rest in the Father’s arms. The blood that Jesus shed has cleansed you.’

2 comments:

rach said...

wow! these stories keep bringing me to tears, they are amazing. thanks for sharing them Paul :)

To whom it may concern said...

You are great rach