Remember Our LORD

When it comes to conflict resolution, I have found the vast majority of the effort involves my own heart and mind.  We cannot do a thing to change the hearts, actions or words of others, but we can humble ourselves before God in obedience.  As much as depends upon us, we are exhorted to be peaceable with others.  Should my own mind and conscience be troubled, should I give place to bitterness, worry and malice, even should the person change I am no better for it.  Interpersonal conflict is a trigger for me to examine my own heart and be the first to change, refined by submission to God in faith and obedience.  Nearly every time conflict continues because I refuse to walk in love towards others according to the love Christ has offered me.

Our struggles to resolve conflict within ourselves can result from our lack of faith in God, our reluctance to release others from our judgment when they do not seem to realise their offence or care, and a distorted sense of justice that withholds grace from others.  Something in us wants them to know they have been wrong and to admit it.  There can even in our flesh be a desire they suffer to a degree as retribution for the suffering we have endured.  We can be more about them facing a punishment rather than our own refinement.  Yet God's redemptive purposes in allowing suffering and His strength being perfected in our weakness remain steadfast.

We have likely at some time prayed to God as the psalmist did in Psalm 137:7-8 with a desire for God's vengeance:  "Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, who said, "Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation!" ⁸ O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, happy the one who repays you as you have served us!"  God will judge all people and nations and does not need reminders like we do.  Pain can serve as a reminder of who we believe is responsible, and under the Law of Moses it was fitting to demand an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  However, under the New Covenant established by the shed blood of Jesus this has changed completely.  Instead of telling God to remember the sins of others so they might be punished to the full Jesus says to us, "Remember Me!"

This is powerful!  Because God is not willing that any should perish Jesus went to the cross and willingly suffered for our sin.  It was a divine demonstration of love beyond this world offered to us, that we can be forgiven, accepted, saved and given eternal life by grace through faith.  This fervent desire of God to save was revealed in the Old Testament prophet as it is written in Ezekiel 33:11:  "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'"  We are not like God, for we delight to see people pay.  Jesus willingly paid what we could never pay on Calvary, for even 1 trillion years burning in hell for our sin would suffice for God to say, "Paid in full."

Let us remember our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ!  As Hebrews 12:3 says, "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."  Jesus responded to hostility with grace, to offence with measured rebuke, to denial with loving restoration.  Instead of trotting out all the ways people have wronged us and how they ought to be punished, remember how Jesus freely absorbed all the punishment we deserved.  We demand it is only right others should pay, but remember how Jesus paid a debt we could never pay--and imputed His righteousness to us by His grace.  As we look to Jesus, remembering all He has done, does and will do, we can proclaim His love with our lives beyond His return.