ILC Devotion - 4 March 2013

Immanuel Lutheran Church Weekly Devotion

Monday 4 March 2013

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NRSV 2 Corinthians 5:18  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

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During Lent repentance, confession and forgiveness, are marks of the season we try to cultivate in our lives. Rather than just giving them lip service, we actually make an effort to live out these tenants in our lives. On this 4th Sunday of Lent we have this lesson from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians regarding reconciliation. What is reconciliation? This is a word we think we all know what it means - but what does it mean to us? I looked up reconciliation in the dictionary. The definition: 1) to cause to be friendly and harmonious again; 2) adjust, settle differences; 3) to bring to submission or acceptance. So how do we cause a relationship to be friendly and harmonious again?  Repentance, confession and forgiveness will lead to a repairing of a relationship. But adjusting or settling our differences, seems to me as a negotiated peace - a dialogue where a mutual understanding is reached. Will it cause for a friendly or harmonious relationship? Maybe. But to bring to submission or acceptance, seems to me to be rather one sided. If you use enough force, or have the upper hand and can dictate the terms - yes the lesser one will either have to submit or accept the terms given. Does this cause for a friendly and harmonious relationship? I doubt it. Victor and vanquished do not usually live in harmony with each other. One is trying to regain their past standing, the other is always watching their back.

For us during Lent, and all through our lives this third definition defines the heart of our relationship with God. Jesus submitted to God’s will and obeyed God. Jesus prayer in Gethsemane: NRSV Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Jesus submitted and accepted his fate for our sake. So we could know what it is to be in a harmonious and loving relationship with God. So we could have an example of what kind of character it takes to bring about the Kingdom of God. We submit and obey Jesus, when he tells us to love one another, as I have loved you - the New Commandment we will receive on Maundy Thursday. By our obeying and submitting to God’s will, can we be ambassador’s for Christ, living God’s love for others as we share God’s love to all.

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We pray: Your dear Son submitted himself to the our anger and accepted pain, humiliation, and death on a cross for us. Empower us to share and live this same reconciling love for each other, as Your Son has offered to us.

In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.