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Reclaiming Repentance



            “Repent” is a very churchy word.  Actually, come to think of it, you do not hear the word “repent” much at church any more either.  In a day and time that sort of believes that there are no universal standards of right and wrong, a word that means “turn around and go the other way” loses some of its impact.  If any direction is fine, then why bother turning around or even thinking about where you are going, right?

            However, the Bible uses the word “repent” quite a lot (53 times in the New Testament).  “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” is the first idea taught by both Jesus and John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1 and 4:17).  “Repent and be baptized” is the conclusion to Peter’s first sermon in Acts 2.  We also read that, “The Lord is… patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  Repentance was a big deal to the early church and it ought to be for us as well.

            Part of the challenge in reclaiming repentance, though, is making sure that we understand it.  Repentance is not about punishment.  It is not about making people feel bad or ashamed about things they have done.  Repentance, rather, is about hope.  It is an on-going opportunity to examine the path we are on and to make corrections that will lead us in the way that we really want to go.

            Think of it this way:  You are doing laundry and a whole bunch of clothes gets stuck on one side the washing machine.  When the spin cycle starts, the machine starts banging and clunking, making all kinds of horrible noises.  In extreme cases, it can even start walking across the floor. What do you do when that happens?  You stop the machine, redistribute the clothes and start it again.  The newly balanced load spins quietly and efficiently.  Sin acts the same way in our lives.  It unbalances things so that neither our physical nor our spiritual lives run smoothly.  Repentance, then, is simply the act of moving things back to their proper place.  Getting things back in line so that things run smoothly again.

            Certainly repentance involves stopping some activities that we should not be involved in, or starting some things that we should be doing, but it should not be a fearful or burdensome thing.  “Repent” is not a threat, but an invitation to come back to our relationship with God.  Maybe if we saw repentance that way, we would appreciate it more and maybe even do something about it.

            Repentance is not awful.  It is an opportunity!

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