A Window To God

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

PEOPLE WHO HEARD HUDSON TAYLOR pray used to remark how familiar he seemed with God, talking with the Father as with a friend in the room. The same is true for people who overheard the prayers of George Müller, John Hyde, and many other missionaries and ministers whose most significant works were bathed in a rich life of prayer. There was something about the nature of these relationships with God that made people realize how accessible he is and how real he could be in their daily lives. They were moved simply by the awareness that a human being could genuinely, tangibly walk with the Father.

That kind of relationship is visible not only in prayer; it shows up in conversation, in attitudes, and in a person’s responses to adversity or opportunity. When a life is truly reconciled to God, it takes on a different nature. It is seasoned with comfort, assurance, gratitude, and faith. It radiates a certain quality that seems to come from another world. It makes an impression.

This is the message of reconciliation we carry. Sometimes that message will be explicitly stated when we recognize opportunities to spell out how a person can be reconciled with God. Sometimes it will simply be implied in the way we live and the attitudes we have, with those around us asking us to explain why we are hopeful or wondering how we can be so calm in the midst of hardships. In every case, the message of reconciliation goes way beyond words to communicate the ways of the Spirit. It draws people into a relationship with God because they suddenly realize a relationship with him is possible.

Make it your goal to live a reconciled life—a life that is rooted in faith, confident in your Father’s goodness, at peace with his will, and as intimate and familiar as a relationship can be. Don’t force opportunities to share this reconciliation with others, but do look for them and take advantage of them when they open. Some things are better caught before they are taught, and this is one of them. Your life is a window that reveals what a partnership with God looks like.

{Father, my life preaches a message, whether I want it to or not. Help me make it a good one. Let me live the kind of relationship you want everyone to have with you. Amen.