Turn Away and Turn Back

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Acts 3:19 NIV

In a story posted by Yahoo News yesterday titled “Greenock runner achieves legend status' after conquering epic 185km race,” it was reported that a GREENOCK Glenpark Harriers runner says she's thrilled to have conquered a gruelling trail race on a Mediterranean island better known as one of Europe's busiest holiday destinations.Viki Smith completed the 185-kilometre Trail Menorca Camí de Cavalls, a full circuit around the island, in 34 hours and 51 minutes, finishing first in the event's V50 category. Recounting her experience, she said: "I am so absolutely chuffed with myself.” 

Chuffed? Now there’s a word that’s not said very often. In fact, I’ve never heard the word and had to look it up. As I expected, based on the context in which it was used, chuffed means “quite pleased or delighted.” Which is exactly what you’d expect someone to be upon completing 115 miles under 35 hours. Sadly though, chuffed isn’t the only word that’s not mentioned frequently. In a growing number of churches, the word repentance isn’t mentioned much either. And while the world will define repentance as a feeling or expression of sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin, the Bible goes a bit further and says that repentance is the action of turning away from sin and turning to God, which involves a change of heart and mind, not merely a feeling. It’s a genuine shift in one's perspective and behavior which leads to forgiveness and “times of refreshing…from the Lord.”

So, don’t downplay the need for repentance just because many churches aren’t preaching the need for it my friend. The Bible is very clear that the wages of sin is death and that godly sorrow brings the repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. Which means we must turn from our sins and turn back to God if we want to have eternal life. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us repentance is absolutely necessary for our salvation. And that, although the world says repentance is merely a feeling, we know that true repentance leads to action. True repentance causes us to turn away from our sins and turn back to God so that our sins might be blotted out and we might be made clean. Help us to see when we’ve transgressed Lord so that we might turn from sin and turn to You. Help us to do our part in spreading the message of repentance. It’s in your precious nam we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!