“He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation”. Colossians 1:22

In 1989 the Berlin wall came down. One of the girls in my class visited the site and brought back a piece of stone from that barrier, and her family were able to renew relationships with family in East Germany. Our relationship with God has been severed by a dividing wall of hostility; our sin, rebellion and apathy cut us off from the one true holy God. Those of us who trust in Christ’s atoning death for our salvation are in the privileged position of having that relationship restored. By God’s grace we have turned to Christ from our sins.

This reconciliation was costly – it cost Jesus His life. His blood was shed on the cross so that we might have peace with God (Col. 1:20). When Jesus lived on earth He was a real physical human being, yet perfect and sinless. Jesus paid the price for us, as 2 Corinthians 5:19 shows: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s sins against them.”

He took our sins in His own body on the tree (the cross). So this reconciliation is complete – we are presented holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
What should be our response? Firstly contrition, a deep repentance for all our wrong doings and selfish lack of doing, which causes damage to our relationship with God and with others. This involves a willingness to amend our ways and a desire to walk obediently with God.

Secondly compassion for all those who have not yet found their peace with God, and a desire to share the good news of salvation with them. “God reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18.

Lord God, we thank You for Your work for and through us in this ministry of reconciliation. Amen.