A cry from the Wilderness

Repent - A cry from the Wilderness

What is it about this word, repent, that turns people off so quickly? Why does this word send shivers down their spine? And yet, the Word of God is full of the word. So it must have some importance to God – mustn’t it??

What does repent mean – in a Biblical sense? The American Heritage Dictionary puts it thus – “To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.” In other words – to realise that one has sinned (fallen short of Gods standards) and to turn from, or change, ones sinful ways.

Just two short scriptures that sum up repentance and the result of repenting :-

2 Chronicles 7:14 “ If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Mark 1:4 “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

So it’s obviously important to God that we understand and actually repent when we have slipped out of His ways. Back to my original questions - What is it about this word, repent, that turns people off so quickly? Why does this word send shivers down their spine?

There is only one reason – because we don’t regret nor do we want to give up that which we have been doing happily until now. We are not willing to crucify our own flesh in order to grow nearer to God. We will not pay the price for what we have done because we do not or will not see the error of our ways and we are not willing to learn that our ways are not Gods ways.

We have grown so lax in our ways that we even preach a Gospel message that omits repentance altogether. Just turn to Jesus, pray the Sinners Prayer, all will be forgiven, and you will be saved. What has happened to repentance and turning from your old ways – giving up that which is so sinful?? The flesh will no longer allow us to dictate to it any more. We are in desperate need of the Gospel message of repentance and yet we do not hear it.

Come on you shepherds – preach the full Gospel including repentance and a sorrowful heart for our past ways before turning to God and receiving full forgiveness for our sins. The fields are still white unto harvest – what are we doing ignoring the best tools at our disposal and trying to do the job half-way??

It’s time to repent and turn from our sinful ways. It’s time to return to Gods standards not ours. Lord send a new voice in the wilderness – yes I am willing, Lord - let it be me. Forgive us our backslidden and sinful ways – forgive our unrepentant attitudes – come once again, Lord Jesus, and heal our land.