Warriors Arise: November 23, 2022
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NKJV) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
A movie quote I heard last week, "Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride." Just like Jesus Christ, we are called to the ministry of reconciliation. The ministry of reconciliation goes before apology or forgetting about what one did to another or said to another. The ministry of reconciliation is about atonement and exchange.
Reconciliation: restoration and atonement in family and/or friendly relations.
Atonement: reparation for a wrong or injury.
Reparation: making amends for a wrong someone has done. It is the action of repairing something.
I am incredibly thankful for Jesus demonstrating His amazing love toward us. He reconciled Himself to us before we even sought to be forgiven. The ministry of reconciliation goes beyond seeking, asking or giving forgiveness. Reconciliation begins when we are made aware of our hurtful words or actions toward another. We make the decision if we will join Jesus in the ministry of reconciliation. He offers it so willingly to all of us and desires for each one of us to follow suit. We are to be open to the possibility that we have hurt someone with our words or actions. The Holy Spirit will confirm if we are willing to listen, if our heart is not hard like stone.
Within family relations or friendships, forgiveness is only the beginning of reconciliation. The ministry of reconciliation means we will follow it up with reparation for our wrong or the injury we have caused. Reparation means we will make amends for the wrong someone has done. It means we will actively pursue repairing the relationship. This is why, "Time heals all wounds" is inaccurate. How many of you have a lingering wound or injury from a family member or friend? How long ago was the breach? Did time heal the wound or did you bury it alive and it sneak back into your thoughts without a warning? Time doesn't heal all wounds. Time buries them alive and it eats you and I alive. Neither one is good. They both will cause problems in current and future relationships.
We must have courage to heal the break. We must operate in the ministry of reconciliation. I exhort you to prepare your heart this Thanksgiving and actively pursue to forgive and be forgiven and to engage in repairing the breach. It sounds good to let time heal the wound, but it won't. You won't get that relationship back if you do not mend the bond torn by pride. When you mend the bond then your fate will be changed. If not, then you will be in bondage to a fate you don't want. You and I need to look inside, and humble ourselves to actively restore the relationship. Jesus gave us the ministry of reconciliation because we were designed to be linked together, in Christ, to withstand the attacks of the enemy and advance His kingdom as we fulfill our destiny.
Father, thank You for the gift of the ministry of reconciliation. Thank You for teaching me how I am to lay down my pride and walk in humility, as I actively pursue to restore relationships that have been broken. I pray I would humble myself and listen. I pray I would not try to defend myself. I pray I would openly admit my wrong and they have expressed that I have hurt them. I pray I would know You will heal the wound and restore the relationship. I ask for You give me another chance with those I have broken relationships with. I pray I would have courage to take ownership of what I did to cause the break. I pray I would actively pursue mending the bond. You will be glorified in this in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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