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MENDING THE GAP (JOHN 1:1-14) LENT DAY 14

REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “Mending the Gap”. To mend means to repair something which is broken or damaged. A gap means a break between two objects or things or a break in continuity between two things. In human relationships, a gap means a severance or break in a relationship between two or more people. Mending the gap means taking steps to repair a broken relationship. We shall reflect on the fact that Jesus came into the world to mend the gap between sinful humanity and God.

Beloved in the Lord, God sent Jesus into the world to mend the gap between Himself and the world. This gap was created by humanity’s disobedience. It is for this reason John’s account of the Gospel, tells us that “…in him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world… Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:4-5, 9, 12-14). In other words, the disobedience of the world caused spiritual darkness and severance in the relationship between humanity and God.

God never gave up on us. He demonstrated his love for humanity by taking a step to mend the gap between Himself and humanity through Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18). Salvation is not man’s initiative, salvation is God’s own initiative and gift to humanity to mend the gap that humanity by their own free will and desires has created. The mending of the gap between us and God is not a right deserved by humanity. Paul reminds us “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This grace of salvation is seen in God taking the divine step to mend the gap. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).

Today, God is still in the business or mission of mending the gap between Himself and the world through the reconciliatory work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, God is still in the business of mending the gap between Himself and the world by making believers ambassadors of Jesus Christ. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) Beloved in the Lord, what role are we expected to perform as ambassadors of Jesus Christ in God’s mission of mending the gap between Himself and sinful humanity? Our duty or role as believers, disciples or ambassadors of Jesus in the “mending-the-gap” mission of God is captured in Matthew 28:18-20 when Jesus said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In other words, the core business of the Church and for that matter every believer is to be part of God’s business or mission of mending the gap. All activities of the Church must facilitate or contribute to the mending of the gap between God and humanity since the Church is a fellowship of ambassadors of Jesus.

Dear friend, the Lent season offers an opportunity to come to God through the hearing of the Gospel. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. (Zechariah 1:3) You may be far from God because of disobedience, sinful desires and unrepentance but God is willing to mend the gap between you and Him today. Jesus assures us that “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:19-20). Beloved in the Lord it is not too late for God to mend the gap between you and Him, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10). The choice is yours now “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”(James 4:8-10)

In summary, we have reflected on the theme “mending the gap” We have been greatly reminded that God’s mission is to mend the gap between Himself and the world, for this reason, Jesus came into the world to mend the gap between sinful humanity and God and also to make us ambassadors of God’s business or mission of mending the gap.

PRAYER

Almighty God, we praise and adore You for mending the gap between You and us. We are eternally grateful for Your gift of salvation. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to be productive ambassadors of Christ’s mission of mending the gap between God and the world through the preaching of the Gospel. Amen.