IN TOUCH DEVOTIONAL 8 APRIL 2024 BY DR. CHARLES STANLEY, MONDAY MESSAGE
In Touch Devotional 8 April 2024 TOPIC: The Ministry of Reconciliation
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 14:1-3
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1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom.
2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;
3 then go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.
TODAY’S MESSAGE
David and his son Absalom had a broken relationship, and for years neither tried to make amends. Today’s passage says that Joab, who “perceived that the king’s heart was drawn toward Absalom,” decided to do something about it (v. 1).
According to Paul, we, too, are called to help make things right. In 2 Corinthians 5, he says, “God … reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” This doesn’t mean we need to interject ourselves into others’ disagreements, but as ambassadors for Christ, we should forgive and lovingly point people to Jesus, who is “reconciling the world to Himself.” What wonderful news for us, because there will be times when we need to be reconciled to someone else. We should be quick to apologize, humbly admitting our part and extending grace for their mistakes. Like Jesus, we should “not [count] their wrongdoings against them, and [be] committed to … the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
It’s hard to conceive of a love this huge: God sent His Son to die so we could have a right relationship with Him. Offering each of us welcome and forgiveness, He meets us where we are, embraces us like a father who has missed His child, and reconciles us to Himself. Won’t you receive that love—and share it?
Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 13-14
Thought for Today: As believers, we have the privilege of being part of God’s unifying work on earth.
Dr. Charles Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. Throughout his ministry, he demonstrated a keen awareness of people’s needs and provided Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life.
