Devotions for a Busy Business Person, no. 288 – Forgiveness, Part 2

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I love receiving comments from you, fellow pilgrims. Several thoughtful responses came in following the devotion on Forgiveness. I would like to quote one remark below and build on it. Joseph said, when addressing those that have caused him damage,

“May you be judged by God’s love, and may restitution and restoration be the reflection of this love.” Joseph Wells

Reconciliation, restoration, restitution. Those three ‘R’s’ certainly beat out reduce, reuse, recycle’, and are very difficult, almost impossible, to practise on our own. Only Jesus can help us carry out this transformative work.

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” 2 Corinthians 5:18–19

And we do have a model in Jesus. We can indeed turn to Him. Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 5 that we are ambassadors in Christ. As ambassadors, we do not represent ourselves, but the King of Kings. Especially in this Advent season, we celebrate his first coming and anticipate the second. As we await his physical return (though He in truth has never left us), we continue as good stewards, good ambassadors, of the businesses and organizations we have been privileged to run for His glory. 

So we can confidently say, 

“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
You who reconcile all things in heaven and on earth,

Make us true ambassadors of Your kingdom—
not speaking from our own strength,
but carrying the message of reconciliation You have entrusted to us.

Amen