we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [2 corinthians 5:20b]
conor and i had an interesting day yesterday. i got an email from walmart, saying thank you for your pickup order, and that it would be ready by 6 pm. thinking maybe conor had ordered groceries, (not typical), i got into the email, only to find that someone from baton rouge, louisiana had ordered $800 worth of items to be picked up in my name. we spent the whole rest of the day trying to get walmart to cancel the order, and get the money put back into our bank account. our account reflected the pending transaction, even though the groceries hadn’t been picked up, so the two accounts didn’t match. they needed to be reconciled. and, it took a lot of work.
in the same way, the account of our souls needs to be settled. we owe a great debt. our trespasses mentioned in verse 19 must be paid for. and, the payment for sin is death. (rom 6:23) this is an account we simply cannot reconcile on our own. we could never pay back what our sin cost. but, there is One who can. everything i was unable to pay, everything you were unable to pay, has been willingly and joyfully put on Jesus Christ to reconcile this account, and bring us into a right relationship with the Father. Jesus gave up his throne, his heavenly rule, his right to reign, wrapped himself in human flesh, was tempted in all the ways humans are tempted, yet without sin. (heb 4:15) then, he was obedient to the plan of his Father, and was murdered, taking on the sins of the world, taking all of the wrath of the Father onto himself. this wasn’t a trivial thing. It was a lot of work. we try so hard to diminish the cost that Jesus paid for us when he gave up everything. we attempt to lessen our need to be reconciled by proving we’re not as bad as others. we try to meet Jesus halfway to the cross with our good works, thinking that if we cover part of the distance, we’re easier to forgive. but, the reality is that we cannot pay one cent of this debt. to think we can, would lessen the work of Christ. to think we have something to give toward salvation, is to try to take away some of God’s glory and claim it as our own.
today, stop trying to reconcile your own account. lay your debt at the feet of Jesus and accept his free gift of eternal life. come into the love of the Father. he gave up his Son because he wants you. he loves you. Christ is stronger than your debt, and, he has proved it by conquering death when he walked out of that tomb. so i plead with you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. he loves you. he loves you. he loves you.
~arwen eastman