True Repentance

 Joel 1-3; 2 Timothy 1 

“’Even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity…’”

Joel 2:12-14

Repentance without a return to the Lord with all our heart is not true repentance. The humbling of our life before God with fasting, weeping, and mourning for our sin and how much it has grieved God, are all indications of the depth of our repentance. In response, God’s grace, compassion, patience, and love are aroused as we turn toward him in full repentance. To expect God’s merciful response without repentance, true repentance, is unrealistic. The modern mind does not imagine that a benevolent, grace-filled God would send calamity; however, this is only a god we have created. God hates sin. Apart from the mercy and forgiveness we have been offered in Christ, he holds us accountable. True repentance places us at the feet of Christ.

When was the last time we were there?

“Lord Jesus, I humble myself before you and repent for presumption, pride, rebellion, and fear. Have mercy on me, for your glory.”