Reconciled – February 27, 2020

We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:20,21

Reconciled

Yesterday, Christians around the world began to observe the season of Lent. What is Lent about?

During the time of Lent, Christians take time to review the suffering that Jesus went through during the time of his ministry a couple of thousand years ago, all the way up to his death.

You might think that sounds morbid, but Christians have an individual interest in that suffering of Jesus. You see, the Bible teaches that when Jesus suffered, he had done nothing to deserve it. His life had been perfect, and people should have honored him for that. Instead, they caused him to suffer. His suffering even went as far as suffering hell when he died on the cross.

All of that suffering was for other people. You can even say that suffering was the suffering that we deserve to go through, but never will because Jesus did.

In a breathtaking leap of compassion, God said, “Jesus did not deserve to suffer, but because he did, I count that suffering for you. And the perfect life that Jesus lived—I count that as yours. He took your suffering. You take his perfection, and that’s your ticket to heaven.”

Jesus never sinned. Instead, he took the punishment for our sins. Jesus lived a perfect life. Instead of taking the reward he deserved for that, heaven, he suffered hell, and gives us heaven.

That’s why the apostle Paul encourages us in our Bible reading for today to be reconciled to God. The perfect life of Jesus, the righteousness of God, is a gift to everyone who believes in Jesus. That’s how we are reconciled, and that’s what we are reminded of during the season of Lent.

Prayer:
Lord God, reconcile me to you so that I share the righteousness of Jesus, my Savior. Amen.