Beautiful Reconciliation 8/28/2013

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—" Colossians 1:21-22

Have you ever gotten into a fight with someone dear and realized you were the one in the wrong? Do you remember how awful it felt to be in that state and to have hurt the feelings of the other person? And do you remember how bad you wanted to make up?

Beloved, this is the state we all were in before Christ. We were in utter darkness and far removed from the glorious light of the Father. As Paul put it, "remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world," Ephesians 2:12. We were lost and we did not understand how lost we were. We were in need of a savior and did not know that there was one available. But somehow we did know that we were out of position, unfulfilled and missing something. This is true because when we came into contact with him, we recognized the truth of our condition, his ability to relieve it and his overwhelming love for us. We responded by accepting him and have now been made whole. Paul describes it this way: "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ," Ephesians 2:13.

Through Jesus, we have been reconciled to the Father. We are no longer fighting in the darkness while longing for the light. The originally intended relationship has been restored between those who have accepted the free gift of God's grace and the great Lover of our souls. He is to be praised.

Committed,

Lee

When We Leave Jesus-DD 2/15/2011

"And as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it" Luke 2:43-44

Beloved, have you ever looked up and found that you were without Jesus? This can be a blessing wrapped in a tragedy. It is a tragedy because the Christian should never be without Jesus. It is through him that we live and move and have our being. To be sure, we are nothing but condemned without him. The blessing is found at the center of this tragedy because you realize you are without him. God has given us the Spirit of discernment. It is in us to know when we are outside of His will.

You may ask how one knows when they are without Jesus. The answer is different for everyone, but suffice it to say that if we are operating outside of his commands and not doing the things that are right according to his word, we have somehow, somewhere left him behind. Imagine how panic stricken Mary and Joseph were when the realized he was missing. Let it also be pointed out here that as with us, Jesus did not leave them, but it was they who left him.

Finally, the question must be asked, "how do we get him back?" Simply do what Mary and Joseph did; they went back to where they had him last. Chances are, if you find yourself without Jesus, you know exactly when and where you left him. Go back and get him. This may involve study, counseling, surrounding yourself with brothers and sisters and most certainly, prayer. You will find that Jesus is true to his word. He will never leave nor forsake you. Once you have regained him, keep him close in your heart at all times.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee