Repentance

Many a time we associate repentance with unbelievers and thereby distance ourselves from what I think is one significant process in which we can be molded into God's image. David in the Psalms was conversing with God with a broken spirit and contrite heart (Psa 51). God can only use broken pots to build the new jar he wants us to be. If we continue to be "stiff necked"(Acts 7:51)  and powered by our insolence then little does God have to do in our lives. If we think we have our "own gods" that will come to our rescue and fail to realize the importance of repentance then we are missing the point of our calling.

When was the last time we went to God with that humble spirit and broken heart? If we do not go to God with that emptiness how can God fill us up?. We need to empty the sin in us and run into His arms to fill us up. There is nothing that can draw us away from God if we repent and there is nothing that can draw us near to God if we do not repent. Just as we are belligerent in our prayers to call upon our "Abba Father!" for our needs, maintaining that level of transparency of our heart with God is called for. Contriteness is what God is looking for. The main theme of the prophets of the old testament -Isaiah, Jeremiah,.. was to bring back the hardened hearts(Heb 3:7-19) of the people who inspite of tasting the goodness of God, went back to the "imaginations of their heart". What was God looking for? Repentance! In the new testament - John the Baptist(Mk1:4) ,Jesus(Mat 4:17), Peter(Acts 2:38) and Paul (Acts 20:21) spoke the need of the hour. Repentance!

If we are perfect what is the purpose of God sending His Son to die for us and the Holy Spirit to be with us. Jesus rightly points it out by saying that "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." It is interesting to observe the profundity in prophet Jeremiah's statemet "Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil."(Jer 13:23) Do you see the ultimate reality of life? We are accustomed to do evil! Yes we do have a God who gives us the power to overcome sin but at the same time our very fallen nature causes us to sin. Paul expounds about godly sorrow that brings us to repentance unto salvation and not unto death in his letter to the Corinthians(2 Cor 7:8-11).

Repentance that leads to the acceptance of our limitations and worship that leads to the acknowledgment of God's omnipotence is humility.It is not just a phase of emotional breakdown but a process of spiritual turnaround!