Reconciliation

Jesus came to earth with one main message - reconciliation with our God through him.  It is a message of love, of forgiveness, and of grace; to each other, and to ourselves.

It can be difficult to apologize, especially when the wrongs are great, and the hurt is deep.  It can be even harder to let go of the anger, the pain, and the resentment when we have been wronged.  But ultimately, the harm is greatest  to ourselves when we harbor a grudge, or refuse to accept our own wrongdoing.  Broken relationships, broken hearts, all deny us the fullness of life that God intended for us.

Jesus preached a message of love and forgiveness, and his life was an example of his teaching.  From the woman at the well to those who crucified him, he forgave and spoke about the power of God to change lives.  By following his example, whether extending grace to someone else or accepting grace from others, we allow ourselves an opportunity to rebuild what has been torn apart, or to build something anew which we never expected, and to find that peace within ourselves which he intended for us.

Today I am grateful for the example Jesus gave us of reconciliation.  It is God's plan for us to be in communion with him, and to replace dissension with the power of his love.  If we let go of the hardness in our hearts, no matter whether we are the wronged or the one in the wrong, we can move forward with the love of God filling our hearts instead.