A cartoon in Monday's paper caught my eye and gave me a giggle. A large and loud monk is proclaiming to Hagar (erstwhile Viking), "Repent! Repent!" Hagar asks his companion, "What is that all about?" He answers, "I think he wants you to paint something again". (Yes, you can groan.)
Repentance is a central theme in the season of Lent. Like most prophets, John the baptist proclaims our need of repentance and forgiveness. In Advent, before Christmas, we focus on preparing for the coming of Jesus. Lent again calls us to repent because we need forgiveness; we need to live in our faith. We need the forgiveness and good news that Jesus has to offer. (Mark 1:15) Deep down, we know our need if we are honest with ourselves. What we are unsure of is the meaning of repentance and how to live that out.
For too long and for too many people, repentance has become confused with feeling sorry for what we have or haven't done as if our repentance can be measured by how bad we feel. Biblically, nothing could be further from the truth; biblical repentance means to turn a new direction, to live in a new way, to return to God if you have wandered away. Repentance is about what you do from then on, not how bad you feel.
It is like this: you are working side-by-side with me in close quarters. Every time I finish one part of the task, I move over to do the next thing. As I turn, I step, hard, on your toes. Immediately, I stop and apologize. I am very sincerely sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't want to hurt you, and I feel very bad about having done that. I apologize, you accept, and we begin working together again.
It goes fine until I get to the next step in the process when I again turn and stand hard on your toes (you don't have anywhere else to put your feet). Again I am sorry, I apologize, and now I feel so bad I am almost in tears. I plead for your forgiveness and you give it. We continue on. By the third time I trod on your toes and crush them, I guarantee you will not care how sincerely I feel bad, my tears will not fix the problem. All you want is for me to quit stepping on your toes. So, instead of feeling bad, I rearrange the tasks and turn a new way so that I don't step on your toes again. That is repentance.
Self-blame, self-hate, feeling worthless; God does not want any of those things from us. In face Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves!
What God asks of us is to do our best to live out our lives as Jesus would; in love for God and each other, especially those in need. Yes, we will keep messing up and need God's forgiveness; to turn a new way and return to God. Thank God, God is the God of second chances, who is always there to welcome us back. Our repentance doesn't save us, Jesus did that. Living in our faith is both our thanks and the very food that strengthens the faith we have been given. Read Luke 13:1-9
For too long and for too many people, repentance has become confused with feeling sorry for what we have or haven't done as if our repentance can be measured by how bad we feel. Biblically, nothing could be further from the truth; biblical repentance means to turn a new direction, to live in a new way, to return to God if you have wandered away. Repentance is about what you do from then on, not how bad you feel.
It is like this: you are working side-by-side with me in close quarters. Every time I finish one part of the task, I move over to do the next thing. As I turn, I step, hard, on your toes. Immediately, I stop and apologize. I am very sincerely sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't want to hurt you, and I feel very bad about having done that. I apologize, you accept, and we begin working together again.
It goes fine until I get to the next step in the process when I again turn and stand hard on your toes (you don't have anywhere else to put your feet). Again I am sorry, I apologize, and now I feel so bad I am almost in tears. I plead for your forgiveness and you give it. We continue on. By the third time I trod on your toes and crush them, I guarantee you will not care how sincerely I feel bad, my tears will not fix the problem. All you want is for me to quit stepping on your toes. So, instead of feeling bad, I rearrange the tasks and turn a new way so that I don't step on your toes again. That is repentance.
Self-blame, self-hate, feeling worthless; God does not want any of those things from us. In face Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves!
What God asks of us is to do our best to live out our lives as Jesus would; in love for God and each other, especially those in need. Yes, we will keep messing up and need God's forgiveness; to turn a new way and return to God. Thank God, God is the God of second chances, who is always there to welcome us back. Our repentance doesn't save us, Jesus did that. Living in our faith is both our thanks and the very food that strengthens the faith we have been given. Read Luke 13:1-9
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