What Jesus Did! 'Be Reconciled!' — Matthew 5:23-24

Saturday, February 22, 2025

[Jesus continued:] "So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."
— Matthew 5:23-24 NLT

Key Thought

When we come before God in worship, we are forced to recognize that we stand before him as righteous and acceptable to him only because of his forgiveness, mercy, and grace. How dare we try to worship him and receive this forgiveness, mercy, and grace when we are not in a good place with others in our Kingdom family! There is an incredible consistency throughout Scripture about God's wanting us to be right with each other if we are going to be right with him. The Ten Commandments have four commands that focus on the Lord and six that focus on our relationships with each other. The prophets emphasized that God hates the worship of those who mistreat or exploit others. Jesus emphasized that we could not be forgiven if we are unforgiving. He even says that we will be judged by the same standard by which we judge others. No matter how moving, how inspiring, how "spiritual" our worship may seem, if we harbor evil against each other or have harmed another in our Kingdom family and not tried to reconcile, God will not accept our worship.

Today's Prayer

Merciful Father, forgive me for harboring grudges, saying unkind things, and being insensitive to the hurts I have caused to your children. I forgive any who have hurt me and give up any claim against my brothers and sisters in Christ and pledge to live with them in your Kingdom in a way that reflects your mercy and grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

5 Related Resources by Heartlight

God Rejects Your Worship Until You Reconcile
Devo: Spiritual Warfare
"So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there at the...."
The Jesus Vibe: Daily Altar of Grace
Article by Phil Ware
Can't I just keep a little of my life protected from this? Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.
Daily Altar of Grace
Article by Phil Ware
God isn't going to accept anything we offer him — our hearts, our Sunday worship, our offerings, our praise, our hopes, our private prayers, our dreams — if we knowingly remain at odds with a brother or sister in Christ. Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.
Skipping Communion?
Article by Phil Ware
Jesus didn't pray for unity just so Christians could sit in a happy circle, hold hands, and sing Kum Ba Yah around the campfire at church camp. Phil Ware reflects on the words of Jesus, the actions of the apostle Paul, and the example of a couple of men in his life, all focused on the theme of reconciliation.
See All 5 Related Resources about Matthew 5:23-24

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 5:23-24 NLT — "So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Saturday, February 22, 2025

Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Psalm 42:8
"By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me — a prayer to the God of my life."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Lydia and Her Household' (Acts 16:13-15)
"[After arriving in Philippi several days before,] on the Sabbath we [Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke] went a little way outside the city to a..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by E. Stanley Jones:
"Grace binds you with far stronger cords than the cords of duty or obligation can bind you. Grace is free, but when once you take it you are bound forever to..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Isaiah 45:19
"We may gain much solace by considering what God has not said. What he has said is inexpressibly full of comfort and delight; what he has not said is....."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!