Reconciled

Elise Aleman
Restoration (Rom. 6.4). 2020
Oil on wood panel
12 x 12 inches

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. — Colossians 1.17-20 (NIV)

This verse captures the beautiful truth that everything is really about Jesus. Everything in this life as we know it is held together by Him. The implication here is that everything has ALREADY been reconciled to Him, "through His blood, shed on the cross".

Sometimes, when I look at my circumstances and relationships, I don't see the restoration of God. So how can it be that Jesus reconciled everything to Himself, but I have yet to see the manifestation of that reconciliation, that restoration in my life?

When Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30), what was He talking about? What is "it"? I believe He was referring to the works that the Father gave him to complete. He fulfilled all the prophecies, He defeated sin, destroyed the works of the devil, and restored our place of legal dominion on the earth. He completed his part, and now we are invited to co-labor with Him to see the restoration of all things.

Prayer: Father, You have restored me as your beloved child. Jesus, You call me friend. Holy Spirit, thank you for Your unending fellowship. God, open my eyes to your restoration in my life today. Amen.