Today’s Bible reading can be found at this link: Jeremiah 2:1-22 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-21.
2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (NIV)
If there is truly one thing that I would implore all people to be – especially my family, my friends, and my acquaintances – it would be to reconcile themselves to God. Far too many folks miss out on this wonderful opportunity that Jesus has given to the whole world by dying for everyone. Some of us go through life with a notion or an idea about God, thinking that all we need to do is to carry that thought in our head and everything will be alright. We believe that God will understand how busy we are and why we are so focused on what life means to us. We can put God on a shelf or in a box, only to be used in an emergency. But that’s not reconciliation, that’s actually manipulation.
Some folks wonder if God actually exists, so until they get absolute proof, they are going to live their lives the way they think best suits them. They can do what they want, go where they want, and believe what they want. But that’s not reconciliation either, that’s actually delusion.
Other people can follow their own course and reject God entirely. They blame churches and religious institutions for being imperfect. They hold grudges against pastors or church members for failing to live up to their expectations, or for expressing different viewpoints, or for not appeasing their own beliefs. But that’s not reconciliation either, that’s actually self-righteousness.
Being reconciled to God requires humility and submission. It’s the realization that we exist in God’s Life and not the other way around. It’s the recognition that we are imperfect in need of perfection, that we are incomplete in need of completeness, and that we are creatures in need of our Creator. We can do a million things with our lives, but in the end, if we have not reconciled ourselves to God, then not one of those achievements will actually matter; however, if we are reconciled to God, then all of those things we have accomplished will matter forever. The key to such eternal happiness is reconciliation with God. As C.S. Lewis once wrote:
“I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road.” – in other words, to be reconciled to God means getting back on the right path to God.
Point to ponder: Am I reconciled to God or have I let something get in the way?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, the Gospels tell us that You are the way to God and through Your sacrifice, we can be reconciled to God forever. Help us to understand that this is not a given, it is actually an offer. Grant us the courage to humble ourselves, so we may be reconciled to God from this time forth. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Today’s image is one of John’s drawings called “Heaven’s Highway.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click here.