A Prayer To Seek and Make Reconciliation In This Season

 RECONCILIATION

December 17 – 8 days before Christmas – This is a season of new ife and joy, for sure but at an even deeper level it’s a season of reconciliation.  The whole purpose of Jesus putting on human flesh and coming to earth had to do with God’s great desire that our broken relationship with Him could be wonderfully restored.

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.  Colossians 1:19-20

We’ve heard lots about the challenges to relationships social isolation has brought.  The statistics of marriage breakdown and family violence are heart breaking. 

But here we are in the run up to Christmas 2020 and God’s invitation to all of us right now is still as loving and as powerful as it’s ever been.  Through Jesus there is reconciliation and peace.  It’s a gift to be received for ourselves and one to make available to others.  Here’s how it’s described by the Apostle Paul in the Bible:

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:18-21

What a gift to share this Christmas season.

Now the first relationship in need of that is the one with God, for sure, but it is also an amazing gift that God gives us – and that is the ability to offer forgiveness and reconciliation to those who have hurt us and with whom relationship has broken down – for whatever reason.

So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.  Matthew 5:23-24

Perhaps one of the gifts of a slowed down Christmas season with some measure of social isolation is time to consider anyone with whom we are currently estranged and to ask God to give us grace to do our part in bringing about reconciliation.  Where there is a need for healthy boundaries let those boundaries remain strong but where things like grudges and resentments remain, this Christmas would be a great time to let go of them.

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”  Mark 11:25

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14

Loving God, thank you for not only showing us the way to live in reconciliation with broken and sinful people, but actually opening that way through Jesus.  Thank you for Christmas where Jesus put on flesh and blood as a baby so He could offer that same flesh and blood on the cross in payment for our sins, healing for our wounds, and for reconciling us to the living, loving relationship with You, our Heavenly Father, You always wanted to have with us.

We ask today, right now, that you would show us anyone with whom we need to be reconciled and give us grace to put on humility and love and reach out to them in an appropriate way to seek reconciliation.  Help us to let go of any grudges and resentment we are holding and where we’ve been wrong to admit it, seek forgiveness, and make amends. 

This Christmas season of 2020 in the middle of a time of social isolation, would You bring all of us closer to You and to one another in love and generosity of heart and reconciliation so the message of the angels can come alive in us.

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. …  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:10 -

Come Lord Jesus, the author of reconciliation and bring peace and reconciliation to us in all our relationships today, we pray.  Amen