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Aghast, stunned, angry, sad, confused; these are but a few emotions I have experienced watching the chaos in Atlanta this past weekend. Our Solace Sunday meeting was spent processing these emotions and more as we attempted to sort out what Christian responses need to be in the face of this chaos. The answers aren't simple; they never are, yet Christian faith was born into chaos and it is lived to bring reconciliation into the chaotic world. Listen to how St. Paul describes our ministry in the 5th chapter of 2 Corinthians:
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.
What does reconciliation look like in action? I want to share three pictures which illustrate the power of reconciliation in the face of chaos. The first is a picture from Louisville, KY where a police officer had been separated from his unit and was protected by his citizens he is sworn to protect.
This second picture is one of police officers kneeling in prayer as protesters approached them.
Finally, through prayer reconciliation brings order to the chaos.
We have witnessed too many scenes of violence, chaos, and destruction. God is working to bring about reconciliation in our broken world. Let's share together in the ministry of reconciliation.
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