Devotions with Pastor Michael De Haan

"All of this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor. 5:8)

As a pastor and a dad, I’ve learned that much of my time is spent helping people love each other better. I find many of my days trying to help resolve conflict. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have that same calling as well. You don’t have to be a Nobel Peace Prize winner to be in the business of reconciliation.

Unfortunately, in our world today, there are plenty of people at odds with each other. We don’t have to look far to find certain people who take a combative stance against almost everyone they encounter. Maybe you even feel this way sometimes yourself—I sure do.

But our God has reconciled us to himself. He is in the business of forgiving and healing. Having been at odds with us because of our sinfulness, our Father knew that the only way to reconcile with us was to pay the debt we couldn’t pay—once and for all. And that’s what Christ did for us. He became our mediator, bridging heaven and earth, taking care of the penalty we could never pay.

So, as people who bear the image and name of Christ our reconciler, we must seek to reconcile those around us. Whether in the boardroom, the classroom, at home, at school, or at church. We bring God’s peace with us wherever we go. And the great thing is, God’s peace reigns! Today, remember that you have been given the ministry of reconciliation.
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Pastor Michael