IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, JUNE 28, 2013
FIRST BE RECONCILED
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Matthew 5:23, 24, 25.
The thought that we can offend our brother or sister and continue in worship is so offensive to God. We must banish the thought that we can worship God with anger and hatred, resentment and envy in our heart toward another soul. The man or woman who refuses to say, "I am sorry," is the man or woman who is cut off from communion with God. For Jesus gave His life for us to be reconciled to God, so, yes, we must give ourselves, "break" ourselves, to be reconciled to one another. Reconciliation comes before the blessing, and it comes before the peace, and it comes before communion. Reconciliation comes first.
Lord, teach us how to approach one another in love-- and be reconciled.
Today, let us be reconciled.
