|
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Friday, August 8, 2003 "Reconciliation" |
|
Frontline Devotion for Friday, August 8, 2003 By Mike Martine (see note below)
If you were going to spend the rest of your life on a deserted island and were only allowed to take one chapter of scripture with you, Matthew 5 would not be a bad choice.
There is so much here to talk about that, when I read today’s verses in preparation for this devotion, my head began to swim. “Great,” I thought, “my first devotion for Frontline and I get the Beatitudes.”
But when I hit verse 23 a bell went off in my head, and I realized I would be talking about something different.
I was fortunate to attend college at Penn State, where for many years there has been a thriving campus ministry for Lutherans. That ministry molded me in my youth and is largely the reason I became an ordained minister.
The ministry was built around worship, and, most significantly, it featured a mid-week communion service that began at 9:00PM on Wednesday night.
As part of the service, we would gather in a circle around the altar, preparing to hear the words of institution. But before those words were read, one of our pastors would recite Matthew 5:23, “…if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
This reading was followed by the sharing of peace and, in response to Christ’s command, a good deal of reconciliation. It was during this time that members of our community who had offended one another apologized and offered forgiveness. When you remember that this was a community of college students, you can imagine the various needs for reconciliation. Friends who had let one another down confessed and began their relationships anew. Couples who had been dating, only to break up, were restored in friendship and forgiveness. Feelings that had been hurt through the typical joking around that young people get into were mended.
It was remarkable to me what was shared in those times. And I remember, personally, times when Christ’s call to ask for reconciliation pulled at me and forced me to ask forgiveness from someone I, frankly, did not want to talk to. What’s more, I also remember the healing that resulted, and my wonderment at how God’s spirit will heal our wounds when we reach out in hopes of reconciliation.
Today I am older, supposedly wiser, and certainly not interested in worship services held one hour before what I now consider bedtime. But in hearing the words of Jesus today, I am reminded how important it is for us to seek reconciliation. To say, “I’m sorry,” when we’ve offended, and to say, “I forgive you,” when forgiveness is asked.
How often do we allow a minor problem to become a major issue because we do not remember these words of Jesus? How often would our lives be better if we would simply swallow our pride and seek the reconciliation a situation demands?
The spirit calls us to reconciliation. Allow the spirit to guide you as you seek to live in peace with one another. Trust the spirit to bring you strength and healing as you live out this command. Then come, offer your gifts to God and you will find that you will be doing so with a clean heart and, more often than not, new found joy.
Prayer: Gracious God, we pray for the courage to ask forgiveness when we have offended, and the grace to offer forgiveness when it is asked. Allow us, in seeking reconciliation, to be molded to your likeness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Note: We welcome Mike to our devotion writing team. Mike is Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran in Mount Joy, PA. He is the brother in law of Pastor Dave Sonnenberg.
Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily.. They will also be posted to the web site if you want to direct others to our web site for more information. Sign up by clicking on the box below
All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.