TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016.
RECONCILIATION
Restore to union and friendship after estrangement; adjust; settle; bring to agreement; to bring to harmony those between whom there exists a state of enmity and hostility.
First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:24.
In Judaism, the holiest day of the year is YOM KIPPER, the Day of Atonement. The purpose of Yom Kipper is to bring reconciliation between people and reconciliation between individuals and God. On that day the Jewish people seek God’s forgiveness for their sins both personal and national. The day before is called EREV YOM KIPPER and is the last opportunity to seek forgiveness from other people before YOM KIPPER begins. This is important because in the Jewish tradition you must seek forgiveness from other people and be reconciled before you can seek the forgiveness of God.
If you wronged someone so that there is a broken relationship it can hinder your relationship with the Lord. If you wonder why this is so, it is because issues that are left unresolved fester and grow which often leads to bitterness and the escalating of acts of retaliation. This is sin in God’s sight and sin separates us from God. In the verse we have put above, Jesus pointed out that in order to worship Him with all of our heart, and a pure heart, we first need to resolve matters with others in our life.
Our ability to truly worship God is hindered by our broken relationships with others. As believers we need to understand and practice reconciliation in our lives. Broken relationships are caused by wrong actions, bad attitudes and destructive words. These are all issues that God expects us to make right before we should come to Him. If we do not, how can God bless us?
It is tough to get up the courage necessary to go to a person that we have wronged and admit that we were wrong and ask for forgiveness, which is part of the process of reconciliation. It is hard because we always think we are right and the other person is wrong. It is humbling to admit we are wrong. Reconciliation comes when God changes the hearts of people and only God can change the attitude of our hearts. We, as believers, have no choice. If we want to be obedient to God and used of God we must act quickly and completely to seek reconciliation with those we have wronged. The more we delay to seek forgiveness the harder it gets. Broken relationships affect our relationship with God.
In closing we are reminded that someone once said: “An offense against your neighbor is a fence between you and God.”
Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 11:6.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Give me the strength today to make things right with those people I may have hurt in some way with my words or actions. Help me to learn to be able to ask forgiveness knowing that these words bring delight to Your heart.
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