Easter Devotional - Day 03
"Even when we were God's enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son's life. And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us." Romans 5:10-11
God's way of dealing with enemies is not our standard procedure. We want merchant ships stocked with weapons with which to blow pirates out of the water. We look to security forces to kill rampaging gunmen, counting such personnel as heroes. Our idea of dealing with enemies is to destroy them in their bunkers with air strikes from afar. God's idea is to offer peace by dying on their behalf.
Peace at the initiative of the offended is the message of the cross. Through the cross Jesus took the ultimate step to offer reconciliation to those acting to kill him and eliminate his call for love, grace, and reconciliation with God. Somehow, we have accepted that it was fine for Jesus to lay down his life to offer us peace with God. That was a spiritual issue. That was enacted by God for our redemption. We seem to have more trouble with following Jesus' example of peace in our own lives.
Could Jesus' call to peace really be intended to take root in our lives and actions? Are we really to do something with Jesus' example of giving his all on behalf of those who act as enemies of God's redemptive purposes?
Paul says the point of Jesus' death was to create reconciliation between God and ourselves. It was God's initiative to offer peace through Jesus' acceptance of death on the cross. As God took this unmatched step to bring us into relationship through Christ, we can be at peace with God—no longer the enemies for whom Christ died. Instead of enemies, we become more than friends in peaceful relationship with God, joined with the Almighty because of God's tremendous love.
It is not we who make peace with God. It is rather God who took the first step in making peace with us. Though God is the offended party in the relationship, and though God was the one with the power to dictate the terms of agreement, all was done for us in love. God took upon himself the brunt of our aggression and violence. This was no theoretical dislike for God, but the physical and emotional action of beating, whipping, jeering, mocking, and nailing him up to die on a cross. There are many injuries for which we might forgive someone, but this seems hardly the kind of aggression we would overlook. We would be more prone to try the crowds for war crimes and see them hanged as accomplices to aggravated assault.
God accepted the cross as an avenue to peace. The message was something to the tune of, "I offer you grace, mercy, and forgiveness, even when this is how you treat and mistreat my offer of love. From the pain of the cross and the brunt of your rejection, I have prayed and pleaded for you. I intercede on your behalf and offer you love to match the depths of your aggression toward God. If you would simply come to me, I have prepared a place for you by my side." Are we ready to set aside all the ways we oppose God to live at peace with the Almighty as he so deeply desires?
Give your hurts and pain to God, allowing the love and peace of Christ to flow through you.
"Lord, help me embrace your example, offering the same forgiveness you gave from the cross."
—©Copyright 2009 Christopher B. Harbin
http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/
God's way of dealing with enemies is not our standard procedure. We want merchant ships stocked with weapons with which to blow pirates out of the water. We look to security forces to kill rampaging gunmen, counting such personnel as heroes. Our idea of dealing with enemies is to destroy them in their bunkers with air strikes from afar. God's idea is to offer peace by dying on their behalf.
Peace at the initiative of the offended is the message of the cross. Through the cross Jesus took the ultimate step to offer reconciliation to those acting to kill him and eliminate his call for love, grace, and reconciliation with God. Somehow, we have accepted that it was fine for Jesus to lay down his life to offer us peace with God. That was a spiritual issue. That was enacted by God for our redemption. We seem to have more trouble with following Jesus' example of peace in our own lives.
Could Jesus' call to peace really be intended to take root in our lives and actions? Are we really to do something with Jesus' example of giving his all on behalf of those who act as enemies of God's redemptive purposes?
Paul says the point of Jesus' death was to create reconciliation between God and ourselves. It was God's initiative to offer peace through Jesus' acceptance of death on the cross. As God took this unmatched step to bring us into relationship through Christ, we can be at peace with God—no longer the enemies for whom Christ died. Instead of enemies, we become more than friends in peaceful relationship with God, joined with the Almighty because of God's tremendous love.
It is not we who make peace with God. It is rather God who took the first step in making peace with us. Though God is the offended party in the relationship, and though God was the one with the power to dictate the terms of agreement, all was done for us in love. God took upon himself the brunt of our aggression and violence. This was no theoretical dislike for God, but the physical and emotional action of beating, whipping, jeering, mocking, and nailing him up to die on a cross. There are many injuries for which we might forgive someone, but this seems hardly the kind of aggression we would overlook. We would be more prone to try the crowds for war crimes and see them hanged as accomplices to aggravated assault.
God accepted the cross as an avenue to peace. The message was something to the tune of, "I offer you grace, mercy, and forgiveness, even when this is how you treat and mistreat my offer of love. From the pain of the cross and the brunt of your rejection, I have prayed and pleaded for you. I intercede on your behalf and offer you love to match the depths of your aggression toward God. If you would simply come to me, I have prepared a place for you by my side." Are we ready to set aside all the ways we oppose God to live at peace with the Almighty as he so deeply desires?
Give your hurts and pain to God, allowing the love and peace of Christ to flow through you.
"Lord, help me embrace your example, offering the same forgiveness you gave from the cross."
—©Copyright 2009 Christopher B. Harbin
http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment