Page 77 of Hidden Chance

“My wife, Jemi.”

“Jemi’s dead?” Hannah said.

“Not yet.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “But it will be any day if God doesn’t intervene. She’s been battling cancer. The doctors have said she’s close to the end.”

“Why are you here? You should have said something. You should be home with her.”

“Don’t you think I know that?!” Peter clamped his mouth shut, then he started sobbing and dropped to the floor.

Hannah hurried to kneel beside him as Robby stood with his hands at his side, watching.

“God told me to come,” Peter said through his tears. “I’m so sorry, Hannah. I tried. I thought I could do this, but I can’t hold it together any longer. I’m only here to be obedient, but I’m in no state to help. I don’t know why God wanted me to come. I thought He would make me okay by the time I arrived, but it hurts so much. Being away from Jemi is tearing me apart.”

“You should go back. You don’t have to be here.”

“Stop,” he said, covering his head. “I didn’t want to come. I didn’t want to. I had to. Please, God. I can’t. I can’t do this. I’m sorry. I can’t do it. What were you thinking bringing me here? What have I done?”

Robby was stunned. He’d always hurt for the loss of his brother, but seeing Peter’s anguish opened his eyes to another level of pain. But the resistance was the same. Everyone had that place. That broken place. Even this man Peter, where they reached a point within themselves that they refused to relinquish. Just in case…in case God wasn’t the truth after all. In case there was no one but themselves to rely on.

And then the truth hit him so hard, he staggered back against the wall. He saw and understood for the first time how immense Jesus’ sacrifice was. He was a man who held nothing back, knowing full well that humanity would struggle endlessly to do the same. And yet, He still did it. Not only that, but He took Peter from his wife when he was filled with so much grief and pain, and God did it to show Robby how much He loved him.

“He leaves the ninety-nine to save the one,” Hannah murmured as she rubbed Peter’s back.

Her words pulled Robby from his stupor. “What did you say?”

She looked up at him, her eyes rimmed red. “What?”

“What did you just say?”

“I don’t know. I was praying. I don’t know what I was saying.”

“You said ‘He leaves the ninety-nine to save the one.’”

“Oh. Yes. I was remembering a scripture. It just popped into my head, so I repeated it.” She leaned back onto her heels. “Are you okay? I didn’t even think—After what Peter said to you, I should have asked.”

“There’s so much suffering in the world.”

“There is.”

“I get it now.”

“What?”

“What you said before about needing to believe in God because of all the brokenness in the world. That there is a God out there in control. A God who loves in a way we can’t begin to understand. And yet He remains perfectly just. He didn’t leave my brother alone even though Colin had to face the consequences of his actions, but Jesus still reached out to him. I don’t know if everyone gets that chance right at the end, but the depth of my gratitude for my brother… He’s after all of us, all our lives. I understand now.”

“You believe it?”

“It’s so obvious I don’t know how I couldn’t see it before.”

Peter sat up, wiping the tears as his face lit with a smile. Then his body started to shake. It started as small puffs of air that grew into a chuckle and then a belly laugh. “I didn’t know.” He wiped his eyes as his laughter died down. “I couldn’t see.”

“See what?” Hannah said. “Are you okay?”

“He did this. God did it, and I was—I couldn’t see it, but that’s what He does.” Peter stood and lifted his hands, hooting as he spun in a slow circle with his eyes closed and face pointed at the ceiling. “Great is our God and worthy to be praised.”

“Something’s wrong,” Robby whispered to Hannah.

Hannah smiled, then laughed as tears spilled from her eyes. “No. Everything’s right. That’s what freedomlooks like after you’ve been carrying the weight of the world. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it. The relief is so immense you don’t care about anything or anyone else. Don’t worry. He’ll settle down. But right now, it’s all about him pouring his heart out to God.”

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