2 Corinthians 5: 11-21
What a week it has been!
Death and violence seems to have haunted
the news; guns; flares; knives; rocks; weapons and non-weapons used as weapons.
My heart sinks
I avoid the news, I turn off the news
programmes – because I cannot bear to hear once more about the “brutal attack”
or the “injured fans” or yet another candlelit vigil… what is happening to our
world?
Whatever you think about the LGBTQ community;
or football hooligans; or the Labour Party; none of us can condone or approve a
mindset that takes such exception that it is deemed a right action to protest
by taking lives; threatening lives; causing injury.
Each person whose life was cut short or
changed forever this week, is a beloved child of God.
Loved
Created
Known
God created us all in our own rich
diversity
God gave us free will to choose
God loves each one of us: regardless of
creed or race or outlook or gender or orientation or faith.
God does not wait for us to turn to God
before love is poured out
God’s love is unconditional
Freely give
God’s forgiveness is also ours – given
freely – but not without cost. The cost was paid by Christ; the reward is ours.
Knowing we are forgiven and accepting
it, living with it, are totally different things.
God’s forgiveness is holy, is pure, is
without an agenda.
We on the other hand have less capacity
in our hearts for such magnanimity.
How can we forgive and move on?
How can we see people we know, or love,
or respect hurt, injured, killed and forgive, and accept and move on?
Reconciliation is more than simple
forgiveness.
Reconciliation implies renewal;
refreshing; a new start.
“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. 18 All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also” (2 Cor 5:17-18)
Reconciliation in mere human terms is
virtually impossible. We may be able to do it a little on our own strength, but
through faith, through grace, through our coming together in Christ something
deeper, more wondrous more amazing happens
And we have this New Thing.
We are New Beings
Enemies can become friends
Because God’s reconciliation is bigger
and better than anything we can muster.
Moving on
Letting go
Re-newing – becoming new.
Another of God’s amazing gifts to us
Reconciled, made new in Christ
Today and always
Even in this mad and scary world
Amen
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