This morning’s devotion comes from Todd Brewer.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:21-22, NIV)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aIG2EJzE4o&w=600]

Everyone, at some point, has been dumped. The subsequent feelings are some of the worst you can have. Sadness, hopelessness, and shame gnaw at you until what you never thought would happen happens, and you “get over” the person that dumped you. At its core, being dumped is accusation. You wonder what you did or said or were to drive away another person.

Such self-doubt isn’t irrational: the adage “It’s not you, it’s me,” is false ninety percent of the time. One person often breaks up with another because of some perception of the other’s awkwardness or inadequate level of cool. This is a running motif in Seinfeld. For each of the countless girlfriends Jerry dates, he always finds some flaw upon which he fixates, and he breaks up the relationship because of it.

And it’s true for relationships in general. One person wrongs the other in some way, and injury and guilt breaks the friendship. I know someone who, because of one critical word said at a Thanksgiving dinner, hasn’t spoken to the offending parent for years. It takes one mistake to ruin a friendship. Think of wedding invitations: no matter how small the wedding, if a close friend feels slighted, it is likely that they will not talk to the couple again. Relationships always break because of some form of guilt and accusation.

St. Paul says that we were alienated from God and were His enemies. Because we rejected His love, our relationship with God was broken—we had turned away, and there was no going back. But thankfully, God chose not to leave the relationship broken. Because of Christ, we are free from the breakup we asked for. In a world of relationships broken by guilt and accusation, God does not accuse us, but pardons us in a continual pursuit. Though people constantly judge us by some measure of performance, God does not. In God’s eyes, we can do no wrong. We are without blemish, free from quick accusations or painful breakups.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV8pNfeAGVc&w=600]

COMMENTS

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