Monday Sept. 30 Ezekiel 18:21-32
This week’s theme of repentance is very timely since Jews around the world are in the midst of celebrating the New Year festival of Rosh Hashanah. “Rosh Hashanah begins a ten-day period leading up to the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These ten days are called the yomim nora’im or Days of Awe in modern Judaism. The sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a wake-up blast and a sobering reminder that the time is near for the Day of Atonement. It is a call to Teshuvah, which is repentance and turning back to the LORD. These ten days are ones of great introspection, heart-searching and self-examination.”....gotquest
Of the many awesome attributes of God, one of the greatest is love. And no more is His love demonstrated than in His gift of repentance. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” From the beginning, it has always been God’s desire that we all practice “Teshuva” and receive His gift of salvation. His heart aches for the wicked to turn aside from the path of sin which leads to death, and back to Him and everlasting life. “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! ‘For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies’, declares the Lord God. ‘Therefore, Repent and Live’.” (vs. 31,32)
When I read about the nation of Israel and their cycle of sin and repentance, I can easily relate; for I recognize that same pattern in my own life. Out of stubbornness, pride, and the desire of the worlds offerings, I too like the Israelites have thought my ways were better than God’s. And like them I have found the confession of sin much easier than the true repentance of that sin. But thankfully, also like them I serve a God of second chances. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23)
God knows we are weak. He knows that even as Christians we still sin. Yet because He longs for us to be reconciled with Him, when we repent not only does God rejoice, He promises to be faithful in both forgiving us, and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) As theologian Archibald Alexander once said, “However long you may have continued in rebellion, and how ever black and long the catalog of your sins, if you will turn to God by a sincere repentance, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you shall not be cast out.”
Repentance isn’t easy, but if we truly have a remorseful heart we will follow Matthews lead and, “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matt. 3:8) That means not just being sorry for our sin but turning aside from that sin. And although we may not be able to change our behavior in our own strength, we know that through the strength of Jesus we are unstoppable! (Phil. 4:13) So wake up! The Day of the Lord is near! Blow the Shofar! Repent and Live!
