Reconciliation

God created a world at peace.

Everything about the set-up and framework of the creation order was about harmony.  A beautiful interdepedence of species and organisms that got an entire ecological system moving even more gloriously than a brilliant choral and orchestral arrangement.  Indeed the music we created was a reflection of the harmony of the natural order around us as created by God.

The devastation of sin marred that harmony and that peace is evident in the very core of the human experience and psyche. War is a very vivid and apparent expression of that loss of harmony and peace.  The fractures in relationships that cause barriers to be built rather than bridges are far more subtle, but pervasive expressions of the breakdown affecting us.

This makes the ministry of reconciliation all the more remarkable and hard to experience.

What is at stake for some is to not just forgive someone for wrongs they have done, but to actively engage in building a meaningful and deep relationship that can mirror something of the initial harmony instituted at creation.  That these are two very different steps should be evident in how a person can respond to the perpetrator of a crime against them.  Forgiveness is a tough step of releasing the person (and yourself) from harbouring feelings against them,  The perpetrator is released from any residual sense of obligation outside the natural consequences for the action.

Reconciliation, however, is an issue of restoring right relationship that is intentional and active.

After all that’s what Jesus does in His ministry.  He doesn’t just forgive, He also extends the opportunity to engage in right relationship with the Father through Him.  He bridges the gap and invites us to cross over to go from hostile enemies to actually become family.

Believers grow aware of that all the more when they consider their previous gestures to God and position towards Him, so that merely saying God is merciful doesn’t capture the heart’s wonder at what God offers to us.

The real challenge then becomes expressing that same life expression in relationship with people who were not just former enemies of God, but also real antagonists to us.  You can imagine how Ananias felt when he got clear communication from God that he was to meet the prosecutor of the believers, open his blinded eyes and welcome him into the family of God. After the atrocities that Saul had committed, it’s quite a step to not only believe he’s a new man, but to then extend the right hand of fellowship to him, supporting him in the ministry.

In life that is meant to be about sharing and encouraging people to be reconciled to God and each other, Ananias’ act, in response to what God calls for, is a great example of how this reconciliation is meant to work.  Be in no doubt, Ananias could not have done this to a man who had been so hostile to brothers and sisters, unless God was working within.

Likewise real reconciliation between warring parties is never going to be effective without God working within.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden