Reconciliation

I promise my blog isn’t turning into a five-point theological seminar, but this theology class just has me thinking so much and becoming downright zealous about these topics and life in general. This class has been good for my relationship with the Lord; it has ignited a spark to dig deeper.

My theology professor (who is one of the greatest men I have ever met) asked us why we feed ourselves. Well, to live and grow and be healthy, of course. Then he said, “Do you do the same for your spiritual body?” I have tight reigns on my physical body. I am so conscientious about the foods I put into my body and daily exercise and the ways I spend my time. However, my spiritual life sometimes resembles something of a tarp in a hurricane: fraying, flapping madly, but one little string remains tied down, holding on for dear life. So why would I not read my Bible daily and consult God in all things? If I am so willing to take care of my temporary earthly body, shouldn’t I be all the more willing to care for my eternal spiritual body?

Not too long ago I was standing in a worship service feeling grieved by my own sinful heart. It was a real Paul moment. You know, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). I said, “Lord, break me (of my pride, of my stubborn refusal to daily submit to Him, etc).” And He said, “Why would I break you when you are already so broken?”

I was taken aback by the question because it meant that He sees me for who I am and, in spite of who I am, He wants to come closer to me. In the past month or so He has come alongside me in the most loving way. When I deserved condemnation, He chose to refill me and teach more about love, reconciliation, and healing.

My theology class has been a pinnacle part of this deeper step into the Lord. Also, I’m reading a Donald Miller book right now, Searching For God Knows What, and it too includes theology and the gospel and I feel totally bombarded with this Truth. I have no choice but to embrace it.

Have you ever thought about the gospel and experienced an overwhelming sense of awe? Has the full magnitude ever knocked your socks off, even for a moment? I’m not wearing socks today, but if I was they definitely would have been removed. I know the gospel front and back, but every now and then I have to stop and say whoa in the most silent whisper I can offer. Today as I was sitting in class talking about Christology I was overcome with this deep love for the gospel, for God’s plan, and for Jesus’ sacrifice.

We were excavating our way through the Bible this morning coming up with verse after verse about Christology and when we got to Isaiah 53 I stopped. I’ve always read Isaiah 53 as a type of Good Friday, mournful and humbling prophecy of Christ’s death for our sins, but today I saw it in a new light.

Suddenly thoughts were spewing out of my head and I ferociously filled an entire page with hardly legible ideas while the rest of the class trudged on through the Bible.

Verse four and five are the real kickers: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

These words: griefs, sorrows, peace, and healed.

Yes, Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins; He was the necessary component so that we could be right before God. And God could have stopped there; forgiving our sins was enough of a gift. But while Christ was dying for our sins, God went a step further beyond cleansing. He went beyond forgiven sins, and removed our brokenness so that we could be healed and live in peace.

All our griefs and sorrows, the weights and hurts we carry around, were taken care of through His death of the cross. Our brokenness from sin and wounds caused by others – these too were taken care of on the cross. And once He removed those things, He brought peace. Calm. Freedom. Reconciliation.

I love God’s attribute of Reconciler. It is beautiful and kind and one of the most ultimate acts of love. This reconciled relationship with Him is one I can hardly grasp. It is far too large to fully comprehend, and I am humbled by His plan. Who am I to think I know best? To think I can figure out and plan life on my own? Oh goodness, Grace. Get back in line.

If God is willing to reconcile with me in my continual, daily rebellion against Him, how then can I withhold reconciliation from others in my own life? Life is far too short and far too precious to walk around unreconciled. God wants nothing more than to be reconciled with us, and He longs for unity and reconciliation among us as well. If Christ is able to forgive our very worst grievances and horrible sins against the God of the universe, who are we to not forgive small hiccups of discomfort (in comparison) caused by friends, family members, or even enemies?

One of the most beautiful pictures of reconciliation on this earth

I’ll leave you with this: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.  (1 Peter 2:24)

We’re healed, people. We are reconciled. We are free. So live like it.