Repentance: Part 5 — A ‘Time With God’ Audio Devotion

Subscribe to the ‘Time With God’ Podcast

Transcript

Good morning.

As we head into Friday, let’s take a few minutes to listen to God. That’s what we do each weekday morning at this time. The best way to start any day is with God, and I want to help you do that today. All this week we’ve been talking about the topic of repentance and sometimes a caricature of Christians or of preachers is this man standing up, shaking his Bible, telling people to repent.

The word repent seems so old fashioned to us, out of date. Why would we be talking about that here as we start our day? Well, the idea of repentance is really significant. I wonder, you probably have someone in your life who really has trouble admitting they’re wrong ever about anything, right?

And even when you confront them about something that offended you or hurt you, all they do is turn it around and say why they should have felt that way.

It’s unhealthy, isn’t it, for a person never to acknowledge or ask forgiveness or make things right in a relationship, it leads to unhealthy relationships. What’s healthy is for a person to quickly make things right when they realize they’ve offended someone.

Well, it’s no different in your relationship with God. And if you find that your life is offending God, you need to recognize this whole idea of relationships was created by God. He made us as relational beings, and if you want to make relationships good, you need God in your life to help you.

And God knows about healthy relationships, and He wants a healthy relationship with you. If you feel like, oh, things are so bad between me and God, and I feel like it’s all about guilt, and I don’t want to just feel that way. The church makes me feel guilty. People try to make me feel guilty, and I don’t want to feel that way by thinking about God. Well, here’s the thing.

Hope 103.2 is proudly supported by

If you offend someone, you need to ask forgiveness and make it right, isn’t that right? And if you’ve offended God, He knows about relationships. He wants a good relationship with you – make it right.

He’s waiting for you to ask forgiveness. Why? Because he wants to forgive you.

And when the Bible challenges us to repent, that’s God saying, I want a good relationship with you. Don’t feel like it’s God saying I’m ready to hammer you.

No, God’s call to us to repent just means come ask forgiveness, make things right. I’m ready for a good relationship with you.

In Acts chapter 3, the apostle Peter is talking to people about getting right with God, and he says, I know you’ve done so many things that are offensive to God, and many of those you didn’t even realize at the time that you were living that way and that it was offensive to God. Here’s what he says starting in verse 17 of Acts chapter 3 in the Bible.

And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets that His Christ would suffer.

He has thus fulfilled. Therefore, repent and return so that your sins may be wiped away in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you.

Well, did you hear Peter’s perspective on repentance? He’s not saying you guys were there. Jesus was crucified. There’s no hope for you. No, he says, I know you were whipped up to a frenzy to shout out, crucify him, crucify him. You acted in ignorance.

God intended for Jesus to die so that a way would be made for you to find forgiveness, but then listen.

Not you guys are so bad. God just thinks bad of you. He’s going to hammer you.

Here’s what he says. Therefore, repent and return so that your sins may be wiped away. And then listen in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Well, doesn’t that sound good to you? Times of refreshing in your inner being coming from God, but it only happens when you admit to God, I’ve offended you. Please forgive me. Thank you for what Jesus did for me at the cross so that I can have a good relationship with you. I receive that forgiveness, and I want my life to be pleasing to you. God is ready to wrap his arms around you and give you times of refreshing.

I’m John North.

To go deeper in your faith, visit AFCI.com.au.

Feature image: CanvaPro