Reconciliation

Well, reconciliation has truly become a buzz word in Canada, whether it is political action being taken or the way cities are planning development, to celebrating holidays or in recent days with the visit of Pope Francis to Canada to address the wrongs committed to indigenous people for many decades.

The work of reconciliation is challenging but it is at the heart of all that God has given us to do. Listen to these lovely but also very challenging words:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

There is no true and lasting reconciliation outside of each of us allowing God to make us new by forgiving our sins.  God knew the difficulty of it but was willing to go the extra mile on our behalf when He send His own son Jesus to the world to live and die for our sins so we could be bought back from the oppression of the devil and reconciled to Him, the God of life.

Reconciliation involves much listening and willingness to learn from one another.  To recognize wrong and admit it, is difficult.  To be willing to accept an apology and allow forgiveness and healing to move on past the hurt and the harm is also very challenging.  God is more than able to help with all aspects of reconciliation. 

Don’t be angry with each other but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

We are all flawed individuals.  When we make amends for our mistakes, our desire is that others will forgive us and that we can be reconciled with them.  We long for them to see the good things in us despite our imperfections, and to find a way to move forward in our relationship.  We must make a similar effort on behalf of others and offer acceptance and compassion to those we need to forgive.

Try to live in peace with everyone. And try to keep your lives free from sin. Anyone whose life is not holy will never see the Lord. 

Hebrews 12:14

Heavenly Father, we recognize that forgiveness is the choice of a moment, but reconciliation is a journey.  Help us to take responsibility for our actions and their impact on others.  Give us humility to make apologies and amends where needed.  Bless those to whom we seek to live in reconciliation.  Help us to be patient as they take the time they need to see how genuine and consistent our actions are with the words we are saying and allow trust to be reestablished among us. 

In whatever ways we can we want to be ministers of reconciliation today as a sign of Your great love for us.  Thank you for Jesus who has made a way for all of us to have peace with You and with one another.  Help us to want and to pursue reconciliation with others. Amen