God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. (Romans 3:25)

He (Jesus Christ) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:2)

As we embark on the 21 Days of At.One.Ment Fast, we need to always bear in mind that Atonement has already been made.

Both the apostle Paul and the apostle John state very clearly in the verses quoted above that Jesus has already atoned for our sins by the sacrifice of His blood on the cross.

In the words of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Atonement is a gift, plain and simple. It is not earned. It is not merited.

If then, atonement is already a reality, why are we calling this the Atonement Fast?

The answer is simple. Even though we have been made at one with God through the death of Jesus, not all of us experience this At.One.Ment with God.

You may have seen or heard this pithy saying that sums it up quite nicely: “If you are not feeling close to God, guess who moved!”

Over the past 31+ years of ordained ministry, I have repeatedly encountered faithful followers of Jesus who know with their heads that Atonement has already been made, yet, do not experience an at.one.ment with the Father.

So, the question we are asking over the first one-third of the 21 Day Fast is something like: What are we doing or not doing that is preventing us from experiencing this At.One.Ment that has already been secured for us by Jesus?

Before I share with you some revelations on this matter, may I encourage you, dear friend, to ask this question yourself.

Pray this way: “Holy Spirit, what could be standing in the way of my experiencing the reality of the Atonement in full measure in my life?”

Then take a time of silence so you can hear His response(s) to your question. Journal them.

Finally, would you kindly share your responses with the rest of us who are also on this journey with you for the next 21 days?