God came to us on Christmas

It is universally accepted that when a person offends another person, it is the offender who goes to the offended person to reconcile. The offender goes to the offended to admit to the wrong done to the offended, render an apology, and ask for forgiveness.

In many African cultures, this principle is sometimes taken a step further. Depending on the seriousness of the matter, the offender takes along an elderly person or someone respected in the society to plead his or her case. The idea is that even if the offended was not inclined to accept the apology, he or she may consider the elderly or respected person and accept it. Many conflicts and disputes in Africa are resolved this way.

Many of us have found ourselves either as the offender or the offended, so we understand both sides. We know how it feels when someone offends us but does not care to recognize it, let alone apologize for it. Reconciliation is easier when both parties know and agree on who did or said what hurtful thing to whom.

In a way, Jesus reinforced the universally accepted principle when he said that if you are going to present your gift at the altar and there you remember that someone has something against you, leave your gift at the altar, go to the person whom you have offended, reconcile with him or her, and then come back and present your gift to God (Matthew 5:23-24).

At the time Jesus made that statement, the gifts were mostly offered to God at the altar in the temple in Jerusalem. People had to travel long distances to get there. Imagine that you had travelled a long distance to Jerusalem and waited in line a long time for a priest to assist you in offering your gift at the altar, but “unfortunately,” you remembered that someone had something against you. (Probably not a good time or place to have a sharp memory recall). At that point, you had to leave the gift and go and reconcile with the person before you came back and offered the gift. This is a very challenging requirement, and it tells us how important it is for us to reconcile with people before we rush to offer our gift or perform any religious activities to please God.

In this era of information and communication technology (ICT), however, distance should not be a major barrier to reconciliation efforts. We have land telephones, cell phones, e-mails, and various social media and ICT devices to keep communications going with others. Where necessary and feasible, we can set up Zoom Cloud Meetings or similar video setups to enable face-to-face interactions.

Therefore, all those who have issues with their parents, spouses, children, extended families, friends, pastors, Church members, co-workers, schoolmates, and even enemies, scattered at home and abroad, should take the opportunity this Christmas season to reconcile and make peace. The Apostle Paul also advises us to make every effort to live in peace with everyone (Hebrew 12:14). In particular, if the issue is not complicated and may be resolved by saying, “I am sorry,” then say so nicely and mean it. Those who want to be economical with words may shorten it by simply saying, “I’m sorry.”

If reconciliation with another person is so important to Jesus, reconciliation with God is even more so. However, God made an exception to the universally accepted principle. God came to us! The birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was a turning point in our relationship with God. God made the first move at reconciliation even though we were the ones who had offended Him by disobeying His commandments and laws.

You may recall that Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, and God banished them from the Garden of Eden. Then, their son Cain killed his brother Abel. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent, and Cain complained about his punishment, but none of them showed remorse, apologized to God, begged for His forgiveness, or made any attempt to reconcile with God. They became disobedient to God and, subsequently, all mankind with them. Since then, God had been making efforts to reconcile mankind to Himself, but we seemed content in our disobedience and sinfulness.

Something different needed to be done, but the concept of God coming to dwell among us on earth would have been unthinkable to the people of ancient Israel, Moses, and some of the prophets of God. There was a time when the people begged Moses to tell God not to come and speak directly to them because they were afraid (Exodus 20:18-19; Exodus Chapter 19).

God seemed distant in those days. Today, we are privileged to have God with us. Emmanuel, God is with us (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). And to stress this point, on one occasion, Jesus answered the Pharisees as follows: “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or “There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:20-21 RSV). Jesus was apparently referring to himself. In other words, the Pharisees were looking for a kingdom whose representative and embodiment was standing right in their midst or within them.

Our relationship and reconciliation with God should be given top priority. If Jesus wants us to stop offering our gifts at the altar until we have reconciled with others, he certainly wants us to give top priority to reconciliation with God before we perform any other religious activities. That means our preparations towards Christmas, and our activities and celebrations during and after Christmas, should have reconciliation with God as a top priority.

God has already made the first move. God has come to us in the form of His Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has reconciled mankind to Himself. It is up to all of us to make the next move. This is the time for each one of us to answer the question posed by Pontius Pilate just before he sentenced Jesus to be crucified, “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:22 NIV). Here is a suggestion about what you can do with Jesus Christ: accept him as your Lord and Savior, the only begotten Son of God, the one through whom mankind will be saved. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Prayer is the key. May God grant us the grace to seek Him daily through our prayers.

Dr. Daniel Gyebi, Attorney-at-Law, Texas, U.S.A., and Founder, PrayerHouse Ministry, Kumasi, Ghana.

PrayerHouse Ministry is dedicated to providing a quiet facility for Christians to pray individually by themselves without any intermediary priest, pastor or any other person. This is a free service. No money is demanded or accepted. One facility is located at Kyerekrom / Fumesua, near Building and Road Research Institute Offices, one mile off the Kumasi-Accra Road and next to a house called Grace Castle. If you are interested, please contact Agnes at 054-7498653. Another is located at Kantinkyiren, at the junction of Kantinkyiren and Konkori, off the Kumasi-Obuasi Road, branching left at Trede junction. Contact Kwadwo at 020-8768461 / 0246-989413.