“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht   

“Homily Grits Devotional”   http://www.homilygrits.com/

Written by 83 yr old Robert VanHoose, who writes “Homily Grits Devotional” above:

May 12
Read Matthew 18:15-35,
Psalm 86

                                              “Burying the Hatchet”

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,”    2 Corinthians 5:18  (NKJV)

     Some Indian tribes supposedly had peace parties and buried their weapons as part of the peace treaty.  The wars of life that seem to continually rage against us will often require that we “bury the hatchet” in order to be reconciled and at peace with God and with others.

We are all born at enmity with God because of our inherited sin nature, and we will never know the peace of God until we “bury the hatchet” of our rebellion, and receive God’s gift of salvation and reconciliation through faith in Jesus Christ.

There will be many who read this devotion who need to “bury the hatchet” with someone who has wronged them, or they have wronged and allowed an unforgiving spirit to harden the heart and live with anger and unresolved bitterness.

We hear of brothers and sisters bitterly divided and quarrelling over inheritances, children being disowned or disowning their parents and going through life filled with bitterness and anger. The trauma of divorce often plants seeds of bitterness that are never overcome.

Reconciliation is not an option, it’s a command.  We must be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, and we must be reconciled with our brothers and sisters in Christ, by resolving conflicts as prescribed in Matthew 18; and heed the warnings against unforgiveness contained therein.

When we consider how much grace and forgiveness we are going to need when we stand before our righteous judge, we should have no problem with “burying the hatchet” and being reconciled with anyone.

Father, help me to do whatever it takes to be reconciled with you and with others, as I learn to “bury the hatchet’ through forgiveness.  In Jesus’ name, Amen