Repentance
“‘Even now,’ says the Lord, ‘turn and come to Me with all your heart [in genuine repentance] with fasting and weeping and mourning [until every barrier is removed and the broken fellowship is restored]; Rip your heart to pieces [in sorrow and contrition] and not your garments.’
Now return [in repentance] to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness [faithful to His covenant with His people]; and He relents [His sentence of] evil [when His people genuinely repent].” Joel 2:12-14 Amplified
What is true repentance? It is surely more than just being sorry. Joel speaks the words of God to us in this passage of scripture describing the repentance God requires, what God considers to be genuine repentance. Not surprisingly, it is a matter of the heart. His nature is not as some preach, quick to anger, ready with severe punishment and condemnation for sin, error, and unbelief.
God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness, and easily entreated to relent His judgment when there is true repentance. We can count on the nature of the Lord when we have drifted from Him, erring on our spiritual journey, distracted from spiritual things long enough to be out of fellowship with God. This psalm of David, written after he sinned against God and repented, reveals what true repentance is:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalms 51:17 ESV
Any parent who has dearly loved children who err and get caught learns to look at what is in the heart of the child. We look past any outward acts of contrition to discern whether they are sincerely sorry for what they’ve done. We look for evidence of true sorrow and repentance as we are dealing with them. We don’t want just words, said to placate or to minimize the consequences. We are looking for a change!
We know that some children are soft-hearted, easily broken when facing their errors. These children have a nature to please their parents and are sorrowful that they have not done so. When the child is strong-willed and determined, however, with rebellion in the heart, they may only comply outwardly to avoid worse punishment. Consequences may be similar, but the hoped-for turnaround in attitude and behavior is different, longer to be worked within.
Father God also knows His children well and what each of us needs to bring us to repentance when required. He, too, has both soft-hearted and strong-willed children, loving us all. He knows how to deal with us so that we truly repent—have a heart change when it is needed. It’s not just when we first surrender to the Lord that we need to repent and confess that He is our Savior who forgives our sins. Repentance is an ongoing condition of any heart belonging to God.
God knows the condition of our hearts, often exposing our own hearts to us. Just like our children, we try to hide certain things from God that we know are not His way. When we get offended by another, we may harbor this offense in our heart rather than letting it go. We want to go over it, justify ourselves, indulge in what we’d like to say or do, and even act upon it. We know it is wrong so do not take it to the Lord.
When we want what we want, we distance ourselves from God so He doesn’t deal with us about it. But He always knows, as evident in how God directed the prophet Samuel to choose the shepherd boy, David, to be King Saul’s replacement:
“….But the Lord said unto Samuel, ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7 Berean
And when David’s son, Solomon, was anointed King after Him:
”…then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make — each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple— be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place.
And may You forgive and act, and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of all men.” 1 Kings 8:37b-38 Berean
He knows all about us and loves us anyway. When we turn back to Him, we turn back to His nature of love and mercy, truth and redemptive justice. Humans have difficulty putting all these aspects of character together, but God does not. He has the perfect balance so we will be dealt with, disciplined as His children for the purpose of redeeming us. His mercy and love is never separate from His truth and justice. His compassion is always present in full measure as He deals with His own.
God will have us become more and more like Him. He said so. As God is writing on the fleshy tables of our hearts, He exposes all that we think we have hidden from Him, including things we hide from ourselves. Layer by layer, He exposes and burns up all of our soulish ways while writing His ways within. He proves to us daily that He is compassionate, slow to anger, merciful and kind when we miss the mark.
As He is building His kingdom within, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life must stop ruling our desires and actions. He has the power to change our hearts’ desires as well as convict us of wrong thoughts and behaviors. He is about the business of redeeming our souls—our thoughts, will, and emotions—to be righteous and pure in Him. Our part is submission, surrender to Him. He knows it all, as David says:
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought[s] from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.” Psalms 139:1-4 Berean
He knows us in ways we do not even know ourselves. Once we absolutely know, or if necessary, reacquaint ourselves with Who God is, we can easily go to Him, trusting that only He can work a lasting inner change. We learn to rest in His love for us, demonstrated through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is true repentance.
Repentance is beyond the words we use to confess to our Father. We need to see a change in our character and habits as we go on with Father God. We should begin to see that what is inside of us matches our words of repentance and subsequent actions. Words are only as powerful as our heart’s commitment. Sometimes God gives us something to do as a consequence or we may still have to bear up under consequences unless He mercifully makes a way of escape.
But there is always, always a way of escape:
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
God’s way of escape is spiritual much more often than natural, taking us through times of struggle rather than out of them. He lifts us up by the spirit to soar above the issues as if we had eagle’s wings, whether dealing with the need for repentance or with other trials. Our trust in God Almighty grows as He displays His faithfulness and wisdom within and without. How we love Him more when we see how carefully He tends to us, His creation.
God promised to deal with us in mercy and compassion when we repent. The steps of true repentance listed in Joel are worth further exploration. Here’s that scripture from the Concordant Literal:
“Yet even now, averring is Yahweh, return unto Me with all your heart and with fasting and with lamenting and with wailing; tear your heart and not your garments, and return to Yahweh your Elohim, for gracious and compassionate is He, slow to anger and with much benignity, and regretting over the evil.” Joel 2:12-14 Concordant Literal
This directive is to those who have begun to know His ways, as the Israelites did in the Old Testament. The first and most important step is to turn to God. Come back, return to the Lord. When we have distanced ourselves from God, lost our way somehow, the first step is just come back! We misunderstand our God and His heart if we believe we have to straighten up, fix ourselves and the situation, before we can restore intimate fellowship with Him.
Jesus Christ solidified the redemption we so need at these times. He purchased us, bought us back, ransomed us with His obedient death and resurrection. This is not to unbelievers who have yet to sense the direction or conviction of the holy spirit. Turn, go back, reconnect with God. Start again in turning your eyes, the focus of your life to God, away from self and the world. It is your choice to do this or not, but God will continue to draw you.
Do this by coming to Him with all your heart, as best you can. When our hearts are completely yielded to the Lord, He is able to turn us to the intents and actions He desires, His path for us. Being in the center of His will becomes pure joy because we only want what He wants. What unity is then restored in our relationship with our Lord! When true repentance flows from our hearts to God’s heart, we may fast, weep, and mourn as we accept the reality of our sin against God.
God says to rend the heart, not the garments. This is a challenge against the old external ways of cutting up one’s garments, repenting in “sackcloth and ashes” as Job did when confronted with God’s majesty. God is not focused on our outward sacrifices or behavior. He looks to see if our heart is repentant, not if we are literally on our knees. It won’t matter what position we are in when we pray if our hearts remain far from yielded to His spirit. There’s no outward show of religious behavior that will please Father God.
As an excellent, most perfect Father, He knows the hearts of His own. God absolutely is a jealous God, “You shall have no other Gods before me.” The Israelites failed this commandment over and over and so do we! Most of us do not literally create idols of gold and silver and call them God nor do we worship beasts and mythical figures as God. But we have our idols nonetheless. All God has to do is show us what (or who) we cannot live without that has somehow become more essential than God is to us.
The idols for modern day Christians are typically good things, enjoyable experiences, what we love to spend our time and focus upon, people we love and with whom we spend our time. Of course God knows we need love and connection with others. It’s not that Father God does not want His children to enjoy themselves. Far from it! We should be the most joyful people around! But nothing should take top priority in our hearts, the seat of our affections. He is the One we are to adore.
And sometimes our idols are sinful behaviors that we cannot shake, often based upon a strong need to feel good, to be loved, to forget pain, all the ungodly solutions we come up with to deal with our problems instead of running to the Lord. Many of the world’s sins and failings come from unmet needs that are addressed in ways that create more problems, leading to bondage instead of freedom.
But nothing is to take priority in our hearts above the Lord. We know this to be true, and yet we need the Lord Jesus Christ and His in-workings to make it so. We cannot do it in our flesh, any more than the Israelites could in their day. This is God’s job, already accomplished in Jesus Christ, who dwells within us, the temple of God. Faithful prayers come from the heart:
“The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) is able to accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” James 5:16 Amplified
God says to look at our own hearts first. We know true repentance is shown in the evidence of a changed life. It matters not how many times we fall, because He lifts us up over and over again. God has never changed His mind about us. He loves us and came to save us, not condemn us. He is guiding us continually, spiritually holding our hands as we walk.
“The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord who takes delight in his journey.
Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the Lord is holding his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24 Berean
We are His beloved children, sons and daughters of God, and He cares for us. He wants us to make it, to get to the point where we can enjoy our allotment, our promised land of peace, hope, and joy in His kingdom. So, of course, our hearts become broken and shattered before the God of all glory and majesty when we miss the mark. This is inevitable after having sinned, most especially grievous sin. God is not accepting outward acts, only the sorrowful heart that is truly sorry and regretful.
All sin is “missing the mark” and God is able to restore us to continue pursuing His mark of righteousness. We return to God to be established in His favor and grace once again. We are cleansed from any wrongdoing and in relationship with our heavenly Father, restored to fellowship with Him. God is our life—truly the life that pulses through our bodies is from Him.
We continue to honor Him, live in and for Him, look to Him to complete this work He has begun in us. There is no path, no other way for humans to earn God’s forgiveness and restoration. Jesus Christ has done it all for us. We are on our way back to restoration and reconciliation with God, planned from the foundation of the world and lost in the Garden of Eden. He promised and it is unfolding now.
Deeply consider these words:
“Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart--those with moral integrity and godly character]. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully [on the strings] with a loud and joyful sound.
For the word of the Lord is right; and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as in a wineskin; He puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear and worship the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He makes the thoughts and plans of the people ineffective. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts and plans of His heart through all generations. Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.
The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of man; from His dwelling place He looks closely upon all the inhabitants of the earth--He who fashions the hearts of them all, Who considers and understands all that they do.
The king is not saved by the great size of his army; a warrior is not rescued by his great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], on those who hope [confidently] in His compassion and loving kindness, to rescue their lives from death and keep them alive in famine.
We wait [expectantly] for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For in Him our heart rejoices, because we trust [lean on, rely on, and are confident] in His holy name.
Let Your [steadfast] lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion as we have hoped in You.”
Psalms 33 Amplified
Amen and Amen, so be it!