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A Morning View By the Wood Stove

A definition to reconcile means to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible. 

We talk often about salvation in Jesus Christ. Say yes to Christ. Surrender to Christ. These are all the key phrases and actions we take for eternal life. As a United Methodist we are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ to transform the world. I am guessing we mistake making disciples as salvation and in professions of faith. You know getting saved, add a statistic and moving on. Salvation is step one, while transformation is life-long. 

If we are making a choice to live our lives in continued sin after being saved, we are in danger of not becoming transformed to become ALL that God has intended us to become; transformed or changed. You see salvation is just a beginning not a destination. Sanctification is the ongoing process of reconciling to God. God takes action in our lives to help us overcome the sins of our past, present and our future sin stumbles on the transformation journey. 

Is your soul in turmoil or is your soul reconciled to God? Is your soul influenced by the guilt and shame of your past which is self imposed or imposed upon you? Are you just making it day by day because everyone sees you as strong and courageous, yet inside you are weak, empty and afraid? Do you wonder why you are not seeing God move in your life or perhaps you cannot see God move in your life because you are not reconciled, or perhaps a better word, compatible with God? I ask, honestly, how is your soul?

My friends, my new goal in my journey is to become purely reconciled to God. I desire to be made compatible with Jesus Christ and I desire nothing more than to show and share the compatibility of the Holy spirit living in me to the world. I want "God First."

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”  - 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT


Peace,

PB

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