You have heard me quote Colossians 1:20 in sermons quite a bit. This is the verse in which Paul proclaims that in Jesus Christ God has reconciled all things to Godself, all things in heaven and on earth.

I have quoted that verse time and again because it testifies to so much of what we read throughout scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments. Scripture is full of images of God, stories about God, and gospel accounts and letters that point to a God who is complex, but who, from the moment Adam and Eve are sent from the garden of Eden, seems bent on reconciliation.

To “reconcile” is “to become on friendly terms with again.” We were created in fellowship with God, and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Yet God keeps coming after us, to reconcile with us, and to help us be reconciled with God and with each other. In fact, in this section of Colossians, because all things are in Christ, we are not only reconciled to God, but to all things in heaven and on earth. In Christ we have been reconciled with each other.

The word used for “reconcile” refers to personal relations. This is not just a reconciliation that means rights have been wronged. It means, actually, that we and God are dwelling in peace together because of the death of Jesus Christ. Spouses, friends, family members, co-workers, creation, animals, people in other countries, everything in heaven and on earth, in Christ, is on friendly terms with each other again.

And so we are encouraged to live into this reconciliation. In the books of the prophets, God calls the people to live on friendly personal terms with one another, caring for widows and orphans, the poor and the immigrants. In the gospel of Matthew we are called to not merely say “Lord, Lord” but to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, and visit those who are sick or in prison. In Philippians we are exhorted to put the interests of others before our own.

To be reconciled, “to be on friendly terms with again,” means that we have experienced distance, difficulty, indifference, or betrayal in our relationships. Perhaps we have been wronged, or perhaps someone has wronged us. What we can trust is that we have been reconciled to God in Christ. We might not feel friendly with God sometimes, But God is on friendly terms with us, and with all others.

This gives us some hope for our week that we begin today. There may be all sorts of things we need to be on friendly terms with again: losses, the people we live with, dreams that aren’t panning out, fears. All of this has been reconciled in Jesus Christ already. What we can do is take a deep breath, know that the peace of Christ is the truth of the matter, let go of having to fix it ourselves, and live as though we are on friendly terms with what is going on. Because, in fact, we are. Through Christ.

Blessings to you all,

Michelle

~ by feast4thought on June 14, 2010.

Posted in Monday Morning Meditation