Scripture: Luke 17:1-5, Acts 9:10-19
Dear Church,
There’s a beautiful verse of psalm 85 that reads
Mercy and Truth have met together,
Righteousness and Peace. have kissed each other.
In our world, in our individual lives, in our church, so often it seems like we have to choose between mercy and truth. It seems like we can’t have both righteousness and peace. We feel that we have to pick one or the other.
There is pressure to ‘let it go’ when someone we love hurts us, to rationalize evil that seems like it can’t be forgiven or healed, to swallow truths that spoken cause shame, discomfort, and remorse.
But there is a hope that allows us to hold mercy and truth together, to seek righteousness knowing it will make peace, even and especially for the unrighteous. That hope is reconciliation–our belief that our Lord can both forgive and redeem sin.
Through the righteousness of Jesus, we are reconciled to God and to one another.
In the body of Christ, we discover that we all are more than our worst moments and deepest brokenness. In him, we receive new life and second birth and the grace to change and grow. We can face our unrighteousness, because the mercy and grace of Jesus can restore us to wholeness as individuals and as a community.
God’s glory is revealed when enemies are reconciled to one another, made righteous and find new life making peace together. That’s what abundant life in Jesus is–and we can have it starting now, with one another.
Jesus can and will reconcile us if we ask him to.
Peace,
Pastor Kate
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