“if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24
The Hebrew word “radap” describes a relentless pursuit to overtaken someone or something. It is used by Joseph when he told his team to let his brothers leave, then to chase after them and overtake them. There might be a time, when God may ask you to pursue to make things right between you and another person that He loves.
In Matthew 5, Jesus says if you have done wrong to someone, you need to stop whatever it is that you are doing, and go make it right with the person you wronged, even if you need to stop worshipping at the altar with your offering. It’s that important. Go find your brother, make it right, then you can return and offer your gift.
When we are pursuing God, we don’t want any hindrances. Doing something wrong and hurting another person can be a hindrance to entering into the presence of God. Sin is a hindrance, like a veil, keeping us from seeing the face of God. A step out of love is a step into sin. If we aren’t loving one another, we cannot know the depths of God.
On the other hand, when we love someone and put action to our love to make things right between us, any hindrance is removed. With a pure heart and clean hands, we can go to God and know His glory. We are to be one with God and one with each other. God is love, and in love is when we can experience the glory of God.
Hebrews 12:14,15 says, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Pursue peace! Pursue holiness, doing the right thing. We don’t want ourselves to be defiled, we don’t want our fellowship with one another to be defiled, so aggressively pursue peace with other people and with God.
Application: Ask God to reveal to you if you have done anything to intentionally or unintentionally hurt someone else. If so, let love lead you to them to talk about it and apologize if there was hurt. Pursue love by honoring and blessing one another.