God is pleased to reconcile us to Godself
March 30th, 2025 – Communion Meditation
On Wednesday, about an hour after boarding the last flight on our long journey home, the pilot made an announcement: our plane could not take off because “we cannot reconcile the paperwork with the current condition of the aircraft.” We are grateful that they erred on the side of safety. As it turned out, some repairs needed to be completed before we eventually took off six hours later.
Communion is a time when we sit in the presence of the Lord together and ask God to reconcile us with Godself. Psalm 103 makes it clear that we are all in need of repair because we are broken people living in a broken world.
Psalm 103:1-3a,8-14 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—who forgives all your iniquity … The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.”
Colossians 1:19-20 assures us that God wants to do needed repairs and to make peace in and with us: “In [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.”
I invite us during this time of Communion to hold our hearts and minds and lives in the light of God’s presence and to allow the Lord to reconcile all that we are to himself. For God to reconcile us to Godself is to restore peace and harmony to us and to our relationship with God. Scripture does not describe salvation as a once-and-done event; it is an ongoing process. We have been saved, we are being saved, we will be saved, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. We’re not finished yet – there is work to be done in our lives on this journey together on the way of love. Let us do what Romans 12:1-2 instructs us – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
At the Last Supper, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to those with him and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Let us eat together.
Jesus then took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Let us drink together.
