Day 338.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 ESV)
The need for reconciliation indicates there is a problem in man’s relationship with God. It is not an inconsequential problem. You might have a problem in a human relationship and not be inclined to do anything about it, but with God it’s different. We were made in God’s image and thus feel the weight of that relationship problem. Our hearts scream out for it to be fixed and we pursue all kinds of other things to hide that problem. We need reconciliation. But we can’t get it on our own because the debt between us and God is more than we can pay. Only God can initiate that reconciliation. And that is what he did in Christ. Christ became the sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. He paid that debt by his death on the cross and in so doing removed the barrier to our relationship and brought reconciliation. Now he gives us this ministry to bring reconciliation between men and God. We do this by telling others but also by modeling it. We now can initiate reconciliation with those that owe us something, whether it is respect or recognition or apology or even money. We are ministers of reconciliation.
Lord, you took the place I deserved when you went to the cross and bore God’s judgment and granted me your place as an heir of God. How can I ever repay you? I can’t! But I can thank you and take on this ministry. Would you cause me and my family to be willing to bear each others burdens that we might show the world this ministry of reconciliation, and would you put news of this reconciliation in our conversations with people. Thank you Lord!
