Freedom in Reconciliation
Hi Sweet Friend!
I hope you are doing well this week. I am praying that you experience Jesus's love deeper this week than you ever have before!
Speaking of Jesus, I wanted to share a command of His from the Sermon on the Mount.
He says in Matthew 5:23-24, "So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift." (CSB)
The Old Way
As I was studying for this email, I noticed something I had not given much thought to before.
Jesus is in the middle of clarifying and further instructing on one of the strongest commands from the Ten Commandments: Do not murder.
Murder? That seems a long way from "...be reconciled with your brother or sister..."
But it's really not. Jesus is always getting to the heart of a matter. Here He's making the point that murder starts in the heart.
Anger, insults, broken relationships within the family of God, lawsuits, etc., all lead to murder in the heart.
Does anything in the above list sound familiar? If you spend any time online, you will see a tidal wave of all of these things. News, social media, entertainment, etc. Sometimes it's so much that we can be lulled into thinking and accepting it as the "normal state of life."
The New Way
But sweet sister, Jesus doesn't want us to settle into the brokenness of this world. He calls us to "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2, CSB)
Jesus knows what it is to have a completely healthy, loving, community within the Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Jesus is teaching here that we are to turn away from the world's version of normal, and be reconciled, or to renew a friendship with someone.
What would our families, churches, neighborhoods, and communities look like or how would they change, if we took this command seriously. If before the next time you worshiped, you gave and received forgiveness, made relationships right again, and let go of lingering anger or resentment.
If this seems an impossible task, then I simply ask you to have a conversation about it with Jesus. Ask Him to help you see others like He does, to love them like He does. Ask Him to care for your hurts, your pain, and seek to spend some time with Jesus.
This command hits home for me. There are definitely some places in my heart I'm reluctant to go because I would need to face reconciliation head-on.
Here's my encouragement to myself: Keep my eyes focused on Jesus, trust Him with my pain, and trust that this command is not a to-do list item to check off, but a real step in offering my heart freedom from the bondage of anger and unforgiveness.
My hope for you and me is as we grow in our love for Jesus and recognize the depth of His love for us, we will take steps to become more and more like Him.
May your heart rest in Him this week!
Blessings,
~ Stephanie
StephanieMBullock.com