Text: Joel 2:13, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, John 1:19-34, 2 Corinthians 7:8-10
I am the human mama to a baby puppy and, so far, things aren’t going so great.
A dog trainer told us, when Pup was a mere eight weeks old, that we had only one job when it came to training a dog this young: teach him to come when we call his name. “No problem!” we said, and the trainer went on her way.
Well.
It’s been almost eight weeks since then, and if Pup has run off from us once, he’s run off from us a hundred times. It sounded simple in theory: preoccupy him with something, call his name, and give huge praise and a treat or two when he comes running. We’ve tried this, really we have, but do you know what our problem is? Consistency. I use his name for other things like, “Pup! Don’t chew on that!” or “Pup! Stop biting me!” or “Pup! No peeing on the floor!” And I’m not too keen on the idea of toting rewards around with me at all times like a walking dog treat dispenser.
Like I said, things aren’t going so great. And it isn’t the pup’s fault; it’s mine. That adorable, stubborn animal won’t come when I call because I haven’t given him much reason to.
Obviously, this analogy can’t go much further. You and I aren’t dogs, and our heavenly Father certainly isn’t a lazy, annoyed pet owner. But as silly as it sounds, I can see myself in that puppy when he’s looking back at me, the moment of decision in his eyes, trying to decide whether to respond to his master’s call or ignore it. (And lately, he ignores it.)
Repentance is not just turning away from something (our sin); it is turning to Someone (our God). Recognizing and acknowledging our sin is critical, but that is not repentance in full. With the turning away, there must be a turning to.
In his second letter to the early Corinthian church, Paul admits that he caused them grief with his first letter and that he wasn’t sorry about that. Because the grief they felt over their sin was appropriate grief—Paul called it “godly grief”—and it turned them to repentance. It turned them back to God.
The God whom the Corinthian believers turned to nearly two millennia ago is the same God who invites us to turn to Him today. We don’t have to wonder if He is trustworthy or consistent, if He’ll do what He says He will do. Like them, we can look to His Word and to His Son to see exactly who He is.
When I want to know who it is I’m running to, I open my Bible.
I read about the God who created mankind in love and then pursued them when they turned away, bridging the gap between their sinfulness and His holiness at His own unfathomable cost.
I read the stories of the God who never once violated His covenant to His people, despite generations of their broken promises to Him.
I read about the life of the God incarnate who entered this broken world by His own choosing, embodying love, justice, mercy, and hope as He walked among the seeking and the sick, the prideful and the weary.
When I read about this God, I see in black and white that what the prophet Joel said was, and still is, true: “He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love” (Joel 2:13). He is the God who hears, forgives, and heals (2 Chronicles 7:14).
When I turn from my sin only to turn to myself or to the world, I feel distraught and paralyzed. It can truly seem like there is no way out of the death all around me. But when I turn from my sin to look at the cross—when I turn my eyes to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29)—I have life. Turning from my sin to myself brings despair, but turning from my sin to God in repentance brings “seasons of refreshing” (Acts 3:19).
Friend, our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He calls us by name and is pleased to receive us, to wash us clean, and to bring abundant, everlasting life to our souls.
God stands ready to show you mercy (Isaiah 30:18). Turn to Him today.
When I run to the world, I find myself sinking in quicksand, or stuck knee deep in mud. My emotions flair unexpectedly, I say and do things I later regret, and I unintentionally hurt those around me in the process. This is not the daughter of the Most High that I long to be. I am so grateful for the reminder today to not just turn from my sin, but to run straight to my Lord and Savior with a repentant heart, ready to receive His forgiveness, mercy, love and healing.
That’s exactly how I feel too – often ruled by my emotions, thinking I can fix myself, and then never quite succeeding (or falling at the first hurdle). Reading that I need to run straight to the Lord for healing and forgiveness and (best of all) peace, is such a welcome reminder today!
I just wanted to mentioned the chapter reference in the text is incorrect. It says “John 12:29” I think you accidentally pressed the two. :) However, another great devo! This is the first study I have done and I’m loving it!
Turning from my sin, from my past mistakes, my short-shortcomings, and learning to turn to Him. Well, now that is powerful. I am seeing and feeling how big our God is!!! He’s so got you!!!!:)
I feel so refreshed after reading today’s message. What a forgiving and merciful God we have. Time and time again I fail but God is there to pick me back up when I’m ready. I can’t wait to see what the future holds as God reveals his plans for my life.
I have a question today for you wise SRT followers- why is it so easy for us to turn to self and not to God after a regret and definitely not to refreshment? Is this just part of being in the fallen world? Thank you for your help with this!
I think that in our society we are so used to “handling” things on our own. All over the place there are slogans like “you can do it”, “just believe in yourself”… We have grown so independant from God that at the first sight of a problem we turn to our resources, our connections, our knowledge. We have to “unlearn” the ways of the world and renew our minds to be as Jesus. It takes discipline and intention to put God as priority and as option #1 always and forever.
I absolutely think it’s a pride thing. There is something shallowly and terribly satisfying about wallowing in sadness and misery, about not wanting to admit you need help, about wanting to remain independent. I think it still allows us to feel that we have dignity and self respect in a backwards way, because we do not allow ourselves to become child-like and subject to God’s mercy. Human pride has been cited as a crippling flaw in literature, music, and stories since the dawn of time. And it is at the heart of our unwillingness to free ourselves from the chains of self-absorbed self-flagellation, subject to the governance of sin, though often we do not recognize it.
I think a lot of it has to do with this idea that I have screwed up my life and made it harder for me. We turn to ourselves because we see ourselves as the ultimate victims of our mistakes. We don’t realize that the greatest offense is against God. I don’t think it’s an active decision to focus on ourselves but more passive because that’s our nature. We are self-centered people. The active decision comes from actually turning to God in times where we feel hurt and regret.
Thank you so much, Ladies! Lauren, I loved what you said about active and passive decision. This really hit home for me. Bless you all!
After reading today, John 6:37-40 came to my heart:
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Thank you, Jesus.
I hope your hearts are encouraged today, sisters.
Thank you for this
“rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2:13)
In Jewish culture, you would tear your garments as an outer sign of your inner turmoil. God says this does absolutely nothing. Showing our grief on the outside does absolutely nothing if we don’t make changes in our hearts. If we don’t rend (shred to pieces) our hearts, we cannot truly repent. We have to see the filth in our hearts and want nothing more than to get rid of it.
When faced with sin and struggling with choices, I’ve often called on Jesus for strength to make the right decision, as if guided from above. How much easier and more beautiful to, instead, turn around and face Him, who was behind me all along?