Reconciliation Through the Cross of Christ | Daily Devotion

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” —COLOSSIANS 1:19-20

We know our world is in turmoil. We hear all the time about natural and environmental disasters, poverty and pandemics, terrorism and war, corruption and tyranny, crime and abuse. Paul says in Romans 8:22, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right to the present time.” 

The entire world needs to be reconciled to God, and the supremacy of Christ as head of the body, His church, means that His body is also the place where He is bringing about reconciliation. This is by no other means than through the cross of Christ. The work of Jesus on the cross is much bigger than to create a church by individually redeeming people, and bringing them into relationship with Him. There is going to be a reconciliation of all things; things on earth and in heaven; thrones and powers, authorities and rulers and things visible and invisible. 

Jesus Christ is the heir to all of creation. Having made peace through His blood shed on the cross, not only is humanity reconciled with God, but humanity is reconciled with each other, and the whole of creation is reconciled with Christ. That’s why we have Christ, not only in His deity, but in His humanity, where His work focuses on the cross, His death, His burial and His resurrection. Colossians 1:22-23 says, “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…” All our understanding of the gospel and of God’s intent for His people must bring us back to Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. 

During the time of apartheid in South Africa, I attended a congress on mission and evangelism where over 600 Christian leaders across South Africa came together. Michael Cassidy was the visionary behind this event, and made the statement that we are living in very combustible times. He said there’s going to be discord and distance and division, but let’s not be afraid of that. Let’s make it our resolve that whenever we become distant and divided that we agree to meet each other again at the foot of the cross. 

There will come a day when all the traumas and tensions of this world are going to end, and we will live in peace with God. The focal point of this great reconciliation all comes down to the cross of Jesus Christ where He took upon Himself the sin of the world and where reconciliation of all things is made possible.

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus who died in my stead, and through whom all of creation may be reconciled to You. I pray for everyone to bring their lives to the foot of the cross.

Do I realize that my reconciliation and that of the entire universe hinges on the cross of Christ?