“The wolf shall lie down with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together, and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:60). That’s reconciliation!
The busyness of these days before Christmas easily frays our nerves so that we easily pop off against one another. Pause for reflection. What’s your heart’s goal this Advent? When you have your eyes on the goal, you’re annoyed by petty things. When you have your eyes on the goal, you address relationship problems as quickly as you can. The goal? “Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9). When people rub you the wrong way, when sins against you become your obsession, then your energies aren’t going toward the goal. We’re pursuing a glorious eternal goal; let’s get this other stuff behind us!
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10). Reconciliation is the in-breaking of Christ’s heavenly kingdom so that the forgiveness He brings us is forgiveness we share with others. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matthew 6:12). Forgiveness doesn’t await an apology. After all, we hadn’t apologized to God when He in eternity determined to send us a Savior. Forgiveness doesn’t condone wrong; it affirms that there indeed is right and wrong. What forgiveness does is free you from emotional bondage to what was done to you. Forgiveness makes straight the path to God.
About Jesus, “his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth….” Let the little child lead us. “Come to terms quickly with your accuser” (Matthew 5:25).
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