Can Manipulation Produce Reconciliation?'
Genesis 32:19-21.
a) Genesis 32:19. Jacob gave the same instructions to each of his herdsmen.
b) Genesis 32:20. They were to speak reconciling words to Esau.
c) Genesis 32:21. Jacob thought that by sending gifts reconciliation could be made!
d) Genesis 32:21. This was Jacob's plan, not God's Plan. In these three important verses to do with reconciliation - God is not mentioned at all! It was a fleshly attempt between Jewish brothers.
e) Genesis 32:21. Jacob was hiding in the camp whilst the reconciliation gifts were sent on before him.
f) 1 John 4:18. Perfect love takes away all fear. Jacob's love was not perfect, it was manipulative. He was by nature a schemer, even though he had formerly encountered God.
(This QT asks a question to which the answer is: "No", Can Manipulation Produce Reconciliation?)
PRAYER: If we tend to manipulate other people, to be free from it, whoever we, or the other people, are.
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'He Went On His Way Rejoicing.'
Acts 8:39.
a) The Holy Spirit had clearly led Philip to this encounter. (Acts 8:29)
b) Philip baptised this important man, the Ethiopian eunuch.
c) After the Baptismal ceremony,
d) The Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away.
e) The Ethiopian eunuch never saw Philip again.
f) But this eunuch went on his way - rejoicing!
(Through this Second one I see the end result of encountering the Lord and obeying Him: He Went On His Way Rejoicing)
PRAYER: That our Churches will really encounter the Lord, then we will go away Rejoicing after the encounter.
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Chris.
Reconciliation is a central theme of the Christian religion, God intends it to be, and it has to be. Reconciliation is the only place where we can be restored in our relationship with God and with others. We can have a relationship with God and pray to Him as 'our Father' only when we have been reconciled to Him through His Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ. God gives us His Word, the Bible, to read and to understand, it helps us very much in teaching us what it means to live the Christian Life.
It is from our position as reconciled sons and daughters of God that we can make reconciliation with others if we so desire. Just as our reconciliation with God comes from His heart and appeals to ours, so our reconciliation with other True Believers comes from God, working in our hearts first and not our passively waiting for them to take the first step.
If we desire to reconcile with a non-Believer, we need God's Grace and the understanding that, however the non-Believer responds, we have done our part and tried our best. We should not forget that we cannot necessarily expect the same response from the non-Believer, we just simply do our part.
Within the desire for reconciliation, and our attempts to do it, we should never involve with manipulation. Manipulation just breaks relationships further, it is probably one of the biggest sins within the Church.
