Reconciliation

The God we serve is a God of Reconciliation. The scripture says that God was in Christ "reconciling the world unto Himself" (2Corinthians 5). If Reconciliation is important to the Father, then it needs to be important to us as well. The opposite of Reconciliation is alienation and separation. This describes the state and status of many of our relationships, even in the church and in the Body of Christ. Needless to say, this is not the Will of God. As the children of God we need to be more deliberate and more intentional about reconciling many of the estranged and distant relationships that we have. If we're going to be like our Father, then we're going to have to address the need for Reconciliation.

The scripture says in 2Corinthians 5, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them". One of the keys to Reconciliation, particularly relationally, is Forgiveness. We would not be reconciled to the Father if He had not forgiven us our trespasses and sins. This is what God requires us to do as well. Many of us have people that have hurt us, that have wronged us, that have wounded us; and we feel that the best way to deal with them and what was done to us by them is to just leave them alone. Even though there may be times where this is appropriate, understand that it is never appropriate Not to Forgive. If you're holding a grudge against someone, if you're harboring bitterness and contempt towards someone because of what they did or did not do, then you're operating outside of the Divine Will of God. The scripture clearly states, "let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger...be put away from you" (Ephesians 4). The same passage also states, "and be ye kind one to another...forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you". We don't have the right not to forgive those who have hurt us or done us wrong. No one has abused you to the extent for which Christ was abused, oppressed and persecuted. No one! And remember, we deserve to go to Hell. But only because of the Grace and Mercy of God, we've been reconciled to the Father in spite of our sin. So in order for Reconciliation to take place there has to be Forgiveness. There has to be a release of the debt, of the grievance and of the offense that was perpetrated towards you.

Then, in order for Reconciliation to take place, you must have a Heart of Grace. Grace can be defined as God's Unconditional Acceptance of us In Spite of us. Do you understand that God already knows that we're going to sin and loves us anyway? God's not waiting for us to "get it right" before He loves us; He accepts us right where we are. This is what the Father expects of us as His children as well. Some of you are staying mad at folks and family members, waiting for them to "change" before you have anything to do with them. What if God waited on you to change before He decided to "have anything to do with you"? Do you see what I'm saying? To hold grudges and project these "expectations" upon certain people is hypocritical, if you call yourself a Christian. Now of course, the Bible makes it clear that if you don't forgive others their trespasses, then the Father will not forgive you of yours (Matthew 6). So maybe the real issue is that you're not really saved at all, since you can't dispense the same Forgiveness that makes you saved.

In any case, bottom line saints, we need to start Forgiving people and we need to start accepting people where they are. All of these divisions and schisms in our families, in our homes and particularly in our churches, we're seeing it in our nation; none of this is the Will of God. Let's be like our Heavenly Father, let's exhibit the Mind of Christ, and let's be about the business of Reconciliation.