Reconciled To God: 2 Corinthians 5:15-21, especially vs. 20:
"...we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God."
Consider the icon, "The Extreme Humility." The Lord Jesus is before us. His eyes are closed. He does not look at us - neither in reproach nor to command. He is simply before us, having suffered all for all. His cry to the Father echos clearly now: "into Thy hands I commend My spirit;" and having prayed thus, He has "breathed His last"(Lk. 23:46). Behold the great peace of God, Who extends His peace to us. The Lord's arms are crossed as one asleep, yet He holds a spear cradled like an infant in its mother's arms - His side has been pierced. He is dead, cradling us in His heart, tenderly, meekly, in the Extreme Humility.
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Yes, the Lord Jesus is "The Extreme Humility," ultimate humility beyond measurement. Our privilege is to stand at the boundary of humility beyond which no man may pass. We may gaze across this impassable frontier into the realm of Divine Humility, into the dominion we may not attain nor comprehend, yet Jesus our Lord has opened the door of Extreme Humility. He is offering us His Humility as a gift from God. "He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him Who died for them, and rose again" (2 Cor. 5:15).
The Lord in His extreme humility invites us to be reconciled to God, to accept The Final Reconciliation He accomplished, completed, and fulfilled. What can we add? We may only receive what God offers. That is what the Apostle conveys: "He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him" (vs. 15). Let us greet His ineffable reconciliation. Even as Divine Love exhausts our pretensions, He encourages us to receive His healing humility.
Behold God's determination, born not of inspiration, but an eternal Light unapproachable. What shall we think of God's offer of restoration? In truth, if we receive His reconciliation with our hearts, we shall resonate harmonically,' we shall find something within ourselves that sings.
Behold Purpose Himself, He Who upholds the Universe. Let us cry: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" (Ps. 8:4 LXX). Let us rejoice at the Holy Purpose of God, weeping at our craven desires and lusts. The Apostle would have us understand the presence and truth of God's Purpose. Only then may we be reconciled.
Observe: the Apostle Paul longs for us to reframe our vision of everyone around us. "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh" (2 Cor. 5:16), for "if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation" (vs. 17). Some have entered deeply into Christ. They have become deified, transformed, radiant with His uncreated Light. These have received Christ and lived with beauty. Some have received Christ and betrayed Him. Some, denying their Lord, have wept with Peter. Some do not know the Lord Jesus. They do not see Him and cannot see Him. Some reject Him and curse, yet everyone has the potential to be "a new creation" in which "old things have passed away; behold all things have become new" (vs. 17). Therefore, let us "regard no one according to the flesh." Let us not look upon others as we have in the past.
Finally, as we behold God's Purpose for all men, let us now rejoice - from this moment, from this day, this hour, even before we take our next breath or measure our next heartbeat. Let us acknowledge that "all things are of God," Who "has reconciled us to Himself through our Lord Jesus Christ" (vs. 18). The Lord will not impute our trespasses to us, if we will confess our sins to Him and receive His Extreme Humility. Above all, He "has committed the word of reconciliation" to us (vs. 19). We are now "ambassadors for Christ." Let God plead with others through us! In whatever humility we have, let us implore all to "be reconciled to God" (vs. 20).
Illumine Thou me also by the tree of Thy Cross and save me.