Repent Often
I looked up the word repent for a simple definition and found that it means to feel sorry and regretful for past actions or behavior. I realize that to repent is action oriented. It is not a passive place. If I repent, it is in response to noticing my sin, my misstep, my selfish behavior or something stupid I’ve done without much thought of how it would affect others. To repent is to welcome humility into my life as I admit, that I’m far from perfect.
King David pens one of his most amazing Psalms after being called out to repent regarding his sin with Bathsheba and the cover-up that followed. I can feel how genuinely embarrasses and sorrow he was. Check this out…..
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. (Psalm 51:1,9-12,16-17 NLT)
I think the Lord connects with me at a different level when I repent of my sin. He knows of my sin, but when I repent, I’m taking action that is significant and important to my relationship with Him. When I repent, I’m turning from that wrong direction and turning in His direction. The Lord can really work with my heart when I repent of my sin. Pride and selfishness are the “boastful brothers” that will stop/block my repentant heart that the Lord desires. When I reflect on David’s story of repentance, He could have played the “King card” and talked about the pressures of being king and tried to justify his behavior, but he didn’t. He pushed pride and self-centeredness aside and “owned” his sin. This story had a good ending because David chose to repent and turn from His sin instead of denying or trying to justify it. I also love the last part of this Psalm where he notes that the Lord doesn’t want more “religious behavior or religious formality”. He wants a broken spirit. The Lord sees a broken spirit as a canvas that He can paint a masterpiece of a beautiful life upon.
Pressing On!
Dwayne