Reconciled

All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. [2 Samuel 14.14]

The truth of this verse is deep. No matter how wasted our lives seem to be, like water spilled on the ground, God devises ways to bring us back to Him.

Think about that.

There are currently 6 people living in my house. Two of those are single digit in age. Whether in the busyness of preparing food or the ineptness of the youngsters, it is not uncommon to see water spilled on the floor. Never is that water recovered for use or consumption.

And yet, God's Word assures us that regardless how useless a task it may seem to us, God is searching ways to recover what is seemingly lost forever in our lives. He is constantly seeking to reconcile us to Himself.

Furthermore, God has given us that same task of reconciliation.

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]

The reason we struggle so much with forgiveness, is because we do not understand forgiveness. And yet, forgiveness is the message of our faith.

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

None of this really makes sense if we do not discipline ourselves to really know God according to what the Bible teaches us about Him. Psalm 103 offers excellent insight into this character of God spoken of here.

The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. [Psalm 103.8-17]

Restored relationship is what God is all about. Justice is not ignored however - Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5.6). 

Should we not further consider the mercy and forgiveness of our God?

Father, may we know You more - not by the world's view of Your or even our own experiences, but by what Your Word teaches us about You. May we measure our lives by Your Word and not the other way around. So be it.