Reconciliation

Most people focus on love as being the theme of the Bible. Love is a theme, but in my opinion would be more of a sub-theme. Love is God's nature. It is because of God being Love that we come up with the actual theme of the Bible - reconciliation/redemption/restoration.

American Heritage Dictionary definitions:
Redemption - the act of redeeming or state of being redeemed

Redeem -  1. to receive ownership of by paying a specific sum; 2. to pay off; 3. to turn in and receive something in exchange; 4. to set free, rescue; 5. to save from the sinfulness; 6. to make up for (redeem an earlier mistake)

Reconcile - 1. to reestablish a close relationship between; 2. to settle or resolve; 3. to bring (oneself) to accept; 4. to make compatible or consistent

Restore - 1. to bring back into existence or use; 2. to bring back to an original condition; 3. to make restitution of, give back

As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they broke the intimate bond they had with God. At the same moment God began putting in place the plan to heal that bond - restore/reconcile/redeem.

Each step of the way through the Bible we see God reaching out to restore/reconcile/redeem us to Himself. He wants the intimate relationship back. He desires for us to know Him as well as He knows us.We get to choose if we are going to walk in the path of restoration/redemption/reconciliation or not. Do we want to know God? Do we want o know His love?

More than just breaking the bond with God when sin entered the world - we broke the bond with each other. The Bible and God are also calling us to be reconciled to each other - other believers in Christ (those who have called upon Christ as their Lord and Savior). Romans 12:12 tells us that we are to live at peace with all and that is true. Christians are not to be the ones causing strife or discourse - sadly most haven't gotten that memo! But, amongst believers we are to be reconciled, we are to restore relationships broken. Doesn't mean we have to be best friends with someone who hurt us, but we do need to be living in peace with them. No human is perfect, we are all at sometime or another going to hurt someone unintentionally. A relationship will be broken, there will be pain. There needs to be a coming together of believers to heal what was broken between them and further heal what has been broken between us and God. After all, we are going to be spending eternity with these people!

If we can't live at peace and our fellow believers, it completely destroys our witness with non-believers. It is the petty, unforgiving, bitter attitudes that give Christians such a stellar reputation among non-believers. If we can't get along amongst ourselves, who would want to join the group? Plus, when it is your time to be the one making mistakes, how do you want others to respond? I want them to respond with compassion, understanding and accountability. There are consequences to actions and I'm not asking to not be held accountable. Just asking for a chance to be forgiven and given a second chance later.

As we grow and learn how to reconcile/redeemed/restore our relationships with each other, we will most assuredly grow in our relationship with Christ. Christ didn't toss aside those who hurt Him, He kept trying to help them and heal their pain. He wants to do the same for us. As we heal relationships with each other, we further heal our broken relationship with Christ.

For those that I have hurt, I must offer sincere apologies/repentance and be patient as they work towards forgiveness. Once they have forgiven, then, and only then, can the discussion about reconciliation begin. No matter how much I want to reconcile, it isn't up to me - it's up to the one I hurt. For those that have hurt me, I must genuinely forgive them - whether they ask for it or not. Once they do seek forgiveness and it has been granted, then discussions can begin about how the relationship should more forward - if the relationship should even move forward. Some relationships do end, but they should end in peace and not bitterness. It isn't always going to work out the way it should, or we would like it to. After all we are talking about human beings who are very flawed. But, the good news is that as long as we keep looking unto Jesus as out example and walking toward Him day by day (sometimes moment by moment), we will get it right more than we get it wrong.

Keep Walking Toward Jesus!