The Lost Art of Repentance - Part II: What Does it Mean?

When was the last time you were really sorry about something? I mean really, really, wept over it sorry? Chances are, for most people the answer to that is that it's been a long time, if ever.

Going back to our history lesson... The 11 tribes knew that what had happen in Gibea was horribly wrong. So much so that they knew that they were responsible to bring justice in the situation, and to destroy the city that had become so corrupt. They were angry (righteous anger) and came to God to find out who was to lead the battle. In looking at this i honestly believe that this was a question of responsibility. Who is most responsible for allowing this to happen, and who is responsible for dealing the appropriate justice. Judah, the tribe of first inheritance (a.k.a. "the eldest"), was singled out. When they lost that battle, in which they knew that not only were they right, but that God had directed them, they invariably realized that there was something wrong. So they wept before the Lord, and again they sought Him. They were beginning the repentance process. They sought God's answer, not just what they were expecting. They didn't just say, "We're going to do this, so now who goes first?" They asked God, "Is this what we are supposed to be doing?" So God spoke to them again and confirmed that what they were doing was the correct thing. They were on the right path. Then, they lost again! Even with God telling them that this was the right thing to do, they still lost! At this point i believe that they begin to get it. After this, everyone went up to Bethel. Not just the leaders, not just the soldiers, everyone! They knew that there was something wrong, and something needed to be done. So everyone went. They wept before the Lord. They fasted. They offered sacrifices both burnt offerings (for atonement of sin) and peace or fellowship offerings. And, they inquired of the Lord. It was not just about who is responsible, and is this the right thing, but what do You want us to do and how? It was only after that that they were able to be successful.

I believe that this third day is where we begin to see true repentance of heart and not just action. This is our example, and it is supported many other places in the Bible. There are 4 facets to true repentance. First is mourning. Mourning and weeping for the sin we have committed. Simply saying we are sorry and turning around to go in the other direction does not mean much. At that point you and I can always turn back around again and return to our old ways. There is little meaning to it unless we are willing to not only be sorry for what we do, but truly understand how wrong we truly are and how much it hurts and destroys our relationship with each other and God.

Second is fasting. Fasting (another lost art) is all about us realigning ourselves with God. It's about us setting other things aside for a time so we can place our focus back where it needs to be. In essence it's us saying, "God, what i want doesn't matter. My desires take a back step to what You want. I need you more than i need the rest of this stuff." It is us humbling ourselves before God and saying, "Your will, not mine be done."

Thirdly and extremely importantly, is sacrificing. I could study and go into all the different things that the burnt offering, peach offering, and fellowship offering stand for, but let's keep this simple. An offering is all about sacrificing something. It's about giving something up. It is irredeemable. It is something offered... given to God that cannot be taken back. It is us letting go of our rights to something and giving it fully to God. It is no longer ours. It belongs to God, and we have no right to it. Usually it is the destruction of whatever it is we are sacrificing to Him. It must be something of value to us. King David said that he would not sacrifice to God something that cost him nothing.

Finally, now that we have recognized our sin, wept and mourned over what we have done and the effects of it, fasted and realigned ourselves with God and what He has for us, and given up through sacrifice something of value to us and that may be standing between us and God, we can finally seek God's will. Not just where the blame and responsibility lies, and who should go first. Not just whether this is the right thing to be doing. Rather it is a statement of "God, what do You want us to do? What is Your will and direction? What steps do You want us to take?" It becomes all about Him! Then and only then have we learned true repentance.

One of the difficult and amazing things about repentance is that in truth, we cannot do it ourselves. We are too stuck up. We are too stubborn. We are too prideful to be able to be repentant on our own. We may want to, but we can't! Only God can give us the heart, motivation, and drive to do it fully and properly. Thus, our repentance towards God can only come from God.

Lord, HELP ME! Help me to be repentant. Help me to truly have a repentant heart. Help me to be the man of God that You have called me to be. Please forgive me and help me! I don't want to live my life less than You have for me. Please forgive me and help me. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

The Vase

One day a mother entered an antique store with her young son. She was looking for a gift for a friend and she knew that this shop owner would have it or know where she could find it. As she was talking with the owner her son starts to cry. They go over to investigate what the problem is. When she finds her son he is standing with his hand stuck in an ancient oriental vase. This vase is obviously a prized piece, part of the antique dealer's collection on display and not for sale. So the embarrassed mother tries very hard to get her son's hand out of the vase. Unfortunately, it won't come out. The shop owner recommends that they try some butter. So they try to put the butter on the child's hand to overcome the resistance. Unfortunately that does not solve the problem. By this time the plight of the troubled young boy has garnered the attention of numerous shoppers and people passing by. Everyone seems to have an idea as to how to help get the boys hand out. Oil, a shoe horn, warm water, none of it seems to work. As time goes by the plight garners the attention of a local news station. Eventually, there becomes no other solution than to destroy this priceless antique vase. The rather upset shop owner insists on doing it himself. If the prized piece in his collection must be destroyed, he is going to be the one to do it. Smash! The vase is destroyed and to the mother's relief, her son's hand is free. With tears still rolling down his cheeks and a huge grin on his face, the little boy triumphantly raises up his little fist and opens his hand to proudly show his mother his treasure ... a single penny!

How many times are you and i this little boy? We are so insistent on getting what we want and it doesn't matter what it takes to get it. We are going to grab onto what we want and not let go. In the mean time our insistence on not letting go of something small and insignificant means that we destroy something of great value. That penny can be our ego. It can be a new outfit or large screen tv. It can be a grudge. It can be a relationship with a girl or a guy. It can be a job or a position. We want what we want and we will not let go no matter what. As a result we destroy something priceless and beautiful. A marriage, a church, a company, a future, sacrificed on the alter of self-satisfaction. Is there something in my life that i am refusing to let go of?

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What is the Cost of Technology?

There are so many things that we have lost with the advance of technology in our modern and post-modern age. So many things that are key to our success and survival. Our views and mentalities have changed, and as a result we are slowly losing parts of ourselves. There is so much of who we are that is linked to the past. Yet the past is being discarded in the face of the future.

So many times technology embraces the new at the cost of the proven. How many people's lives are easier as a result of the advances in technology? It seems to me that instead of our lives becoming better, technology has simply made our lives faster. Instead of it giving us more free time, technology has required us to get more done. It has made it so that we invest more in doing and less in becoming.

"When we sacrifice on the alter of technology we gain productivity but it comes at a price. What is that price, and is it worth it?"

What do you think?

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"Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice..."

It is so easy for us to get distracted doing things for God, even good and right things, instead of doing what God tells us to do. God criticizes King Saul for this in I Samuel 15:22. God had commanded King Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites. Instead he kept the choice sheep and other cattle as well as King Agag alive. Samuel the prophet criticizes and speaks to Saul about this.

1Sa 15:22 And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams!

As a result of not obeying, Saul is rejected from being King and David ends up taking his place. Saul had had many failings in his life, both personally and as King of Israel, and this seems to be the clincher. The next verse states,

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king!

How often are we willing to "make sacrifices", to give up our own "personal time" or belongings "for God" instead of doing what He has told us to do. Nothing that we have is our own. Not even our time. It has been given by God and belongs to Him. It is a good thing to spend time with God, to work in the church and be involved, to help support ministry, but if God has told us something and we are doing "good things" in the church or our personal life instead of what He has told us to do, isn't that rebellion as it says here in I Samuel? Isn't it iniquity and idol (self) worship? "to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams!"

So where do we go from here? What do you/i/we do now?

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