"Repentance" one of those words that can tend to drum up either excitement or dread.
Excitement, when we think of someone finding Jesus. Someone saying the sinners prayer!
Dread, when we think about the fact that we blew it again, or we have been a colossal failure and now it is time to "repent".
But, my question today is, how does God view the word repentance?
He loves the word...always! No matter when or for what it is needed.
Why? Because God gave us His son so that we could have that right to repent.
Can you imagine a way or a moment that could bring us closer to our Savior than appropriating what He did for us on the cross. An act done for the purpose of bringing us close. For the purpose of reconciling us back to Him.
The bible warns us that the enemy comes. He comes for the purpose of stealing, killing and destroying our lives but our Savior made us a way of escape.
Don't take this honor lightly, that we have been given, to come to Him every time we fall short of His glory.
Far too often, due to shame and guilt, we forgo the step of repentance thinking, "I will just try harder or I will be sure not to do that again."
Far too often we listen to that nagging voice in our head that says, "you can't repent of that again, you've blown it too many times already."
Forgetting that He ask us to forgive an offense seventy times seven. Not recognizing that He wouldn't ask us to do something He wasn't willing to do (Matthew 18:21-22).
There is such power in repentance!. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
So, if we negate the repentance part we forgo the cleansing we need from the sin.
Another amazing verse is, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, (Acts 3:19).
It is through our repentance that times of refreshing may come from the Lord which, is exactly what we need to be freed from the weight of our shortcoming.
In that moment when you realize that you made the wrong choice, did or said the wrong thing, fell short of the righteousness of God, Stop!
Call upon your savior that gave His life so that you could have this right to come before Him to repent.
Enjoy the closeness that it brings as you connect with the only One who is able to cleanse you from your sin.
Take a moment to really soak in the fact that you have a Savior that is actually able, willing, and ready to embrace you when you fall if you are willing to confess.
We all blow it but there is no greater moment than when we realize it and run into the arms of our Savior who wants to save us and bring times of refreshing.
There truly is power in repentance.
What an honor that we can come to Him in our moment of distress over our sin and receive what only He can do - Cleanse and Refresh!
We can come to Him any and every time we falter and know that He is ready to wash and cleanse us and bring a time of refreshing in His presence.
Know that His presence is with you in that moment and it is a beautiful moment.
What an incredible gift!
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