Broken Your Resolutions Yet? #OneWord

2015 has started out wonderfully with regards to blogging. I have been so encouraged by many Christian writers and their blogs in 2014, and this has continued into the New Year.

There is an online conversation happening all over cyberspace in various forms where bloggers are coming together to champion Christ above all else. It is amazing to see so many people dedicated to writing and sharing the good news of Jesus with everyone.

When I was reading through a handful of end of year blog posts, several writers had chosen one word that they would focus on in 2015. Rather than New Year’s Resolutions, they would choose a word, or the word would choose them, and they would focus on that word all year long. Every day. One word that could summarise who you want to be or how you want to live. This one word could shape 2015.

As a writer, I am never short of words. The problem is that I am spoiled for choice on potential words I could select. One word though? Crumbs.

However, there has been one word that has been following me around. It just keeps cropping up and it wont leave me alone.

Reconciliation.

Ever since I wrote this blog post, the word ‘reconciliation’ has followed me. The words ‘reconcile’ and ‘reconciled’ are also a part of this.

Therefore, I have decided to give the #OneWord365 challenge a go – an intentional, fun way to focus. Scrap the New Year’s resolutions. It’s time for me to have a New Year of Reconciliation.

What does that look like?

There are only a handful of words in the bible that directly ‘spell out’ reconciliation, reconciled, reconcile etc. Nonetheless, my old friend ‘The Oxford Popular English Dictionary and Thesaurus’ comes in handy to elaborate and lead me to new heights:

Reconcile: make friendly after an estrangement; induce to tolerate something unwelcome; make compatible. Bring together, harmonize, placate, reunite, settle differences between. BE RECONCILED TO accept, adjust to, resign yourself to, submit to.

There seems to be a lot more scope when the word ‘opens up’ itself a little. This year I want to remember that I have been reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son through the cross. This is true reconciliation. It is the perfect demonstration. This does not mean I have to be crucified to be reconciled to someone!

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10 ESV)

Paul tells us in his second letter to the Corinthian church that we have a ‘ministry of reconciliation’ given to us by God to share with others.

 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 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.

I love the idea of being an ambassador for Christ. It is a responsibility to tell the world about this good news! We have been reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ. God no longer counts people’s sin against them if we turn to Him and believe in what His Son Jesus Christ came to do.

This year, I want to tell as many people as I can (with God’s help, because I could not do it without Him!) about how we have all been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. It is because Jesus Christ had no sin that He could bridge the gap between our sinfulness and God’s righteousness. We have a way to the Lord, because He made it so. He wanted us to be reconciled to Him, so He became sin for us!

I am sure as 2015 progresses I will have a stronger understanding of reconciliation. It can challenge me to be reconciled to anyone that has hurt me or that I have hurt for example. Perhaps I will have to adjust, accept and submit to an unwelcome circumstance.

I am not sure what this year will hold, but I put my trust in the One who holds tomorrow!

Be encouraged! We have been reconciled to God! But do you want to be reconciled to Him? Maybe 2015 could be the year that you seek the Lord with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength. Do not try to be extra good to earn your way to heaven. Just accept that Jesus Christ has reconciled you to the Lord and really believe that in your heart. I can guarantee you that it will be the best thing you do this year. 100% guarantee. Or your old life without God and all its darkness back. This year, will you choose God? He has set you apart – He has chosen you.

If you want to find out more about #OneWord365, you can find out more here: One Word 365

Linking up with the lovely folk at #TheLoft and also Kelly’s Cheerleading Linkup at Purposeful Faith!