MAKE IT RIGHT

Ever had a falling out or falling away within a close relationship? There is a physical, vice-like condition that comes over my heart and chest area after something like bitterness, jealousy, anger or covetousness raises it's ugly head in my relationships. It is an unrelenting drive to restore the peace that has been lost. This condition is a state which does not depart until I go and make it right with whomever I am at odds. God has seen to it that I have an extra dose of this sense; this peacekeeping.

This attack on The Relationship is one of theft by the enemy of our souls. Satan desires to steal our peace. We cannot allow his spirits of bitterness, jealousy, anger, envy and so forth to divert the focus away from what makes our relationships precious. With the Holy Spirit's assistance, potential dividers must be confronted and dealt with to preserve our relationships.

Some excellent Biblical examples of Making It Right are:

• Jacob and Esau (Genesis 33)
• Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 42-45)
• The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32)

As Jacob was approaching his brother Esau and his brother's army of 400 - Jacob sent gifts ahead of himself. As he was nearing, Jacob bowed seven times in honor of his brother's might and prowess. Meanwhile, Esau was in full run to meet his brother. They embraced, kissed and made things right.

Sounds like another event, doesn't it? But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20) Both the lost son in this case and Jacob in the previous, recognized the issue, dealt with it and moved on. For me, that vice grip would have been released, tears of joy would have ensued and floods of pure happiness would have resulted.

Joseph put his brothers through the ringer as possibly a little bit of power-play fun/revenge for selling him into slavery. He eventually caved-in to how God had used him throughout all those years, revealed himself to his brothers and embraced them once again. 

Notice in each case - Jacob and Esau, Joseph and Bros., and Father and Lost Son - God could have addressed the lesser in each situation and dealt with them directly, but He didn't. God did not supply Esau with an animal right away so he could get it cooked and go to his father and receive his blessing. God did not have a slave trader turn around and return Joseph to Jacob and report everything to the Patriarch. God did not have pity on the lost son and bless him with more wealth, food or supplies so he could go on. No, in each case God allowed for each man to personally take care of their relationship woes. The restoration in each instance was an in-person affair.

I have also felt this way in my relationship with The Lord. I disobeyed Him, did not act the way I should have or had the wrong mindset/attitude about things. The Vice Condition returned. Then shortly I found myself before my Gracious Lord asking for a reinstatement of our relationship. Not that I had lost my Salvation, I had just stepped "out of bounds" and "out of sync" in our relationship and needed to re-align myself or Make It Right between the two of us. His Favor flows more smoothly that way.

In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus instructs us - “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." Whether it is in front of the altar or within your life, before God - take care of what would threaten your relationship with God and the precious people around you. I encourage you today - if the enemy has sent his hordes/spirits to try to steal the peace that exists in your relationships, rebuke that with God's help by taking the initiative and go Make It Right.