How hard is it for you to apologize?

Some of the hardest words to say are, “I’m sorry.”

Some of the hardest words to hear are, “I forgive you.”

Broken relationships have a way of lingering. Even after the conflict has ended, there can still be awkwardness, mistrust, or uncertainty. Both people may want things to be different, but neither knows quite how to bridge the gap.

The Bible tells us that our greatest broken relationship was not with another person. It was with God.

Sin did not simply cause us to make poor choices. It separated us from the One who created us. Left to ourselves, we could not repair that relationship. We could not undo our rebellion or make ourselves acceptable before a holy God.

But Paul says something remarkable:

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.”

Reconciliation begins with God.

He is the One who took the initiative. He is the One who sent His Son and removed every barrier that stood between us and Himself.

Sometimes people picture God the Father as reluctant to forgive while Jesus persuades Him to be merciful. The Scriptures paint a very different picture.

• The Father Himself loves the world.
• The Father sent the Son.
• The Father was carrying out His own gracious plan to bring sinners home.

Paul continues,

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”

Those words are worth lingering over.

“Not counting their trespasses.”

That is the heart of the Gospel.

God does not pretend that sin never happened or lower His standards. Instead, He counts our sin against Christ, who bears it at the cross, so that He no longer counts it against those who are in Christ.

That is why your conscience can have peace.

That is why you do not need to wonder whether God is still keeping a record of your failures.

In Christ, your debt has been paid.

Paul then says something unexpected. The God who has reconciled us has also

“given us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Christians are not merely recipients of reconciliation. We become its messengers.

This does not mean that we forgive sins by our own authority. Rather, we speak the forgiveness that Christ has won. We point people to the Savior who has opened the way back to the Father. Pastors do this publicly through the Office of the Keys, proclaiming Christ’s forgiveness and speaking His absolution. Every Christian does this personally as we bear witness to the Gospel in our homes, workplaces, and communities.

Our message is not that people should try harder or become more religious.

Our message is that God has acted.

The relationship has been restored through Christ.

The invitation has already been extended.

As Paul writes,

“We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”

What an incredible privilege. The God who reconciled you now sends you into the world with that same message of peace for your family, neighbors, co-workers, and and everyone else.

That’s good news.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for reconciling me to Yourself through the death and resurrection of Your Son. I could never have restored our relationship, but in Your mercy, You did everything necessary to bring me home.

Fill my heart with the peace of knowing that my sins are no longer counted against me. Then help me to share that same message of reconciliation with others, speaking the hope and forgiveness that are found in Christ alone.

May my words and my life point others to the Savior who has made peace with God.

Through Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.