Lenten Devotional, Day 22: Not Your Grandparent's or TV Evangelist's Repentance
Dear Christians,
The Wednesday Scriptures are Psalm 81, Jeremiah 2:4–13, John 7:14–31, 37–39.
NOT YOUR GRANDPARENT'S OR TV EVANGELIST'S REPENTANCE:
Yes, I'm trying to get your attention through provication, i.e. poking the bear. There is a place for repenting of a specific sin (e.g. Psalm 51). But something precious is often missed in repentance theology. Base-line, first-order, capital-R repentance is turning from self to Savior as Lord (for Tabbers, think last week's sermon). Skipping this and going straight for a scandal-worthy, gossip-tempting sin can be dangerous and a big O dear. (I'll let that hang there unresolved; it is the lenten, lectionary way ;)
Let me turn devotional, even for an already Christian, repentance theology often goes wonk, horizontal sins get emphasized, vertical sins get ignored. From today's reading for example, God is grieving, lamenting, perplexed: "My people did not listen to my voice." (Psalm 81:11, also the whole Jeremiah reading for today). I would have given them "honey," "fountains," "open heaven" in their rock-and-a-hard-place desparations (Psalm 81:14, Psalm 78:15–16, Genesis 28:11–13, 18 respectively). But "they would have none of Me." (Psalm 81:11).
Now notice this example of repentance:
From: "'Ah, stubborn children,' declares the Lord, 'who carry out a plan, but not Mine, and who make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for My direction.'" (Isaiah 30:1–2a). Returning to metaphoric Egypt (bondage) is never the answer (rf. Acts 7:39).
To: "For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 'In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength."' (Isaiah 30:15a). Here "repentance" is also sometimes rendered "returning." God is saying: Not fight, fear flight, frenzy, freeze, foul, fetal, facade, etc. Just return to me, and I will flock, fit, fix, feast, fortify, felicity, feather, free, etc. your soul.
Ah, but in between, there is usually a waiting. We think the waiting is always on us: "How long, O Lord?" But in truth it is God that is forever waiting (rf. 2 Peter 3:9): "Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him." (Isaiah 30:18). Translation: As long as 'you got this,' I'll back up and promise not to meddle.
One more example of repentance, soo surprising:
Jesus: "I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My Name’s sake, and you have not grown weary." (Revelation 2:2–3). I'll take that resume. Think of me that way, Jesus!
Very next Verse: "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have FALLEN; repent!" (Revelation 2:4–5).
Horizontally, relationally, second-commandmently we all wish the other guy would clean up their act. And the humble even "test" & "examine" themselves but perhaps even then more out of pain from their own sinful consequences. Yet all this can be true, while God says: I would that they return & start with Me.
I mean this devotionally. Beloved, let us think of love to God as worthy of review in light of repentance. Matthew 24:12 is a cold, cold warning.
The Only Best in/is Christ,
tIM