In mid-stride, the Holy Spirit stopped me with a choice: would I do what was right? Or what was comfortable? Even if it felt awkward to me, I needed to go to my friend and ask for his help. My friend had recently been angry with me, feeling I wasn’t not including him. Suddenly, the decisive moment in our friendship was upon me: do what is right? Or do what is comfortable? As awkward as it was for me I went to my friend and asked for his help. I didn’t need much help; I did need to be reconciled with my friend.
Reconciliation. The word really doesn’t fit what it means. It’s a cumbersome word; it doesn’t really roll of your tongue. But what it means is incredible peace and wholeness. To reconcile means to be at peace with someone.
First and foremost, the Bible says that our reconciliation is with God through Jesus. You were once an enemy of God, because you had sinned. You had disobeyed and rejected Him. But now, through believing in Jesus Christ, you are at peace with God. You are part of His family. You are welcomed into His throne room of grace! Paul describes it this way in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 13, 17-18:
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Paul is writing about Jews and Gentiles; or the people of God’s promise, and the rest of the world. But for both, there is only one way to the Father, which is through the peace and reconciliation accomplished by Jesus Christ. By His death on the cross, Jesus put to death everything that hinders any relationship. The only hope of unity and peace is through the prince of peace, Jesus Christ. When you have peace with God, then you have the first step to having peace with others.