Have you been embroiled in sin? Is your joy sapped? Are your relationships ruined? You may feel far from God—a bit helpless, even—but the Lord's arms of love remain outstretched, and He offers you a second chance. David experienced this.

Susanne Geske made international headlines the morning after her husband was tied up and tortured to death by six Muslim men simply because he was a Christian. After leaving the police station, she released a statement, "I forgive the murderers of my husband the way Christ forgave his murderers, 'Father forgive them, they know not what they do.'" After her statement, thousands of calls and letters poured into the Turkish TV station asking for more information on how to convert from Islam to Christianity.

One of the more-frequently misapplied passages of Scripture is Matthew 18:20, where the Lord Jesus is recorded as saying: “For where two or three have gathered in My name, I am there in their midst.” Whether this verse is thrown around at a men’s prayer breakfast, a church potluck, or a small group conversation in a living room, the subtle suggestion is that Jesus is not going to bother to show up when one of His followers is flying solo.

How should a Christian respond when an “enemy” falls? Like any human being, a Christian is not immune to the temptations of gloating, celebrating, or even berating with an “I told you so” or two. Certainly we all will experience a heavenly moment when the wicked who have wronged us face a righteous judge (we will face Him too), but it is also possible that those who’ve wounded us will face consequences here on earth.

It happens every once and a while. A big-name “sinner” claims he or she has been wrong. On hearing such a claim, some scoff: “Ha! Impossible!” Conversely, others start preparing the victory parade and inviting all to come celebrate—the sinner has repented!