repentance

Layer by Layer

Posted on by Betsy

The practice of art restoration is fascinating. Normal decay, neglect, pollution, and the ravages of time take their toll on paintings, making them dull and even hard to see. Trained restorers can bring a painting back to life by slowly and carefully cleaning and removing layers of dirt and grime in order to reveal the details and colors of the artwork underneath.

     The restorer must be careful in their work. Using the wrong solvent to remove varnish might also remove the paint. It can take up to six months to restore just one inch of a painting. 

     Scripture study works in much the same way. A trained instructor can help us uncover layers of meaning by revealing the history, culture, and conditions of the time that the Scripture was written, giving clarity and understanding. 

     This is the work of the Holy Spirit when we read a Bible passage. How many times do you sit down to read something you’ve heard and read a hundred times and suddenly you hear something new? This happens all the time to me. Daily Bible study is imperative for bringing the fresh word of God into our lives. Like a master restorer, God reveals meaning and nuance to us with each reading. 

     And sometimes, it hurts. Sometimes that fresh reading brings a new word of conviction or rebuke that must be dealt with in our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that every Scripture is useful for teaching, revealing mistakes, correcting, and for training character. 

     When we are convicted by the Holy Spirit that it is time to repent, it would be good to remember what the people of Israel experienced when the Law was read once again after a long silence. When they heard God’s instruction and understood it, it caused them to weep. But the Levites and the priests who taught them instructed them to not be sad, but to rejoice. They were told that joy of the Lord was their strength (verse 10). A second chance was at hand. The day was proclaimed to be holy, and weeping and grieving were to cease. God’s word had been revealed and all who heard it could see and understand it clearly.

Nehemiah 8:7-12

7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah[a]—helped the people to understand the Instruction while the people remained in their places. 8 They read aloud from the scroll, the Instruction from God, explaining and interpreting it so the people could understand what they heard.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Don’t mourn or weep.” They said this because all the people wept when they heard the words of the Instruction.

10 “Go, eat rich food, and drink something sweet,” he said to them, “and send portions of this to any who have nothing ready! This day is holy to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy from the Lord is your strength!”

11 The Levites also calmed all of the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Don’t be sad!” 12 Then all of the people went to eat and to drink, to send portions, and to have a great celebration, because they understood what had been said to them.

     We who read the Word that was God in Christ Jesus have even more reason to rejoice. While our sin is great and causes us to weep, his salvation is even greater, bringing us joy. Every time we sit down and study God’s word, we are given an opportunity for a new beginning, and that indeed is a cause for celebration.     

Having heard the word revealed, the people chose to rejoice and feasting and sharing commenced. So too should it be for us today, as we celebrate the Scripture made new in our lives and go forth to reveal it to others. God is the master painter! May his work be revealed in us.

God’s Artwork by Michelle Robertson

Penitence Psalm

Posted on by Betsy

The signs are always there. My dog, who usually greets me with unbridled enthusiasm when I come home, greeted me with a small wag and then waited downstairs. I knew exactly what has happened. I ascended the stairs to the kitchen to find that she had once again “unloaded” the dishwasher and had generously licked all the dirty plates clean. She waited to hear my unhappy response as I clean up dishes, some of them broken on the tile floor. Then about ten minutes later she quietly came up and nuzzled her head under my hand. She knows she can count on my love and mercy for forgiveness. If only Mom would remember to close the dishwasher before leaving, these things wouldn’t happen!

     Psalm 6 is a psalm of penitence and was often sung on Ash Wednesday in the early church. It certainly has a Lenten feel, as David started with confession and humility as he anticipated God’s punishment and anger. We don’t know what sin David committed and it doesn’t matter. David speaks into all of our sin in this psalm, describing exactly how we feel when we come face to face with what we have done. The shaking, the crying, and the devastation of knowing that we have separated ourselves from God by our actions are explicitly laid out in this psalm. Who among us hasn’t experienced a “what have I done??” moment?

Psalm 6 (Common English Bible)

Please, Lord,
    don’t punish me when you are angry;
    don’t discipline me when you are furious.
2 Have mercy on me, Lord,
    because I’m frail.
Heal me, Lord,
    because my bones are shaking in terror!
3 My whole body is completely terrified!
        But you, Lord! How long will this last?
4 Come back to me, Lord! Deliver me!
    Save me for the sake of your faithful love!
5 No one is going to praise you
    when they are dead.
Who gives you thanks
    from the grave?

6 I’m worn out from groaning.
    Every night, I drench my bed with tears;
    I soak my couch all the way through.
7 My vision fails because of my grief;
    it’s weak because of all my distress.
8 Get away from me, all you evildoers,
    because the Lord has heard me crying!
9 The Lord has listened to my request.
    The Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed
    and completely terrified;
    they will be defeated
    and ashamed instantly.

     When this happens and we feel the anger and the discipline that we deserve, we need to remember what Hebrews teaches us about God’s discipline. “Bear hardship for the sake of discipline. God is treating you like sons and daughters!” (Hebrews 12:7, Common English Bible). God’s discipline is given to those whom God has adopted, so to be corrected is a mark of being a child of God. So, when your sins and the consequences of your actions keep you up at night, flooding your bed with tears, count on your status as God’s beloved and know that mercy and forgiveness will prevail.

     And let’s not miss the lesson in verse 8, where David says, “Get away from me, all you evildoers”. This is a timely reminder to us to disassociate ourselves from people or places that contribute to our sin. God calls us to walk away from ungodly relationships, even those in our families and workplaces. Anything that might cause us to stumble on our walk needs to be removed from our lives, including social media and the things we watch on television.

     David ends with a word of confidence that the Lord listened to his request and accepted his prayer. So too will God do for you when you come before him in an attitude of humility and repentance.

Guilty.

Create in Me

Posted on by Betsy

I want to start this devotional with a disclaimer. When it comes to prayer, you can learn different techniques, read lots of books, attend seminars, etc. yet in the end prayer is simply talking to God. You already know how to do that. So as valuable as those teachings are, talking is at the center of what prayer is all about.

But using a disciplined approach to prayer can enhance that conversation, especially during Lent. I recently met with my church’s youth group and suggested that we think of prayer like protective TARPS…so we should include Thanksgiving, Adoration, Repentance (confession), Petition, and Supplication.

Our study of Psalm 51 continues as we move through David’s confession of his sins to the petition part of his prayer. This is a wonderful reminder of the parts of prayer. Today we land in the repentance>petition place of David’s prayer:

Psalm 51 (Common English Bible)

Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean;
    wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and celebration again;
    let the bones you crushed rejoice once more.
9 Hide your face from my sins;
    wipe away all my guilty deeds!
10 Create a clean heart for me, God;
    put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!

David’s pleas reflect how heartbroken he is over his sins. The reality of what he has done before God has resulted in feeling as though his bones are crushed. He begs God to remain in him and not remove the Holy Spirit from him. Can you relate?

11 Please don’t throw me out of your presence;
    please don’t take your holy spirit away from me.
12 Return the joy of your salvation to me
    and sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach wrongdoers your ways,
    and sinners will come back to you.

Confession and repentance always lead to pardon.

Where is God calling you to plead for a new, clean heart? Is there any hidden or unconfessed sin that you should be dealing with right now?

Don’t carry that burden anymore. God is ready to return the joy of your salvation back to you and will sustain you with a willing spirit.

Create in us clean hearts, oh God.

The Joy of Salvation by Karen Warlitner

Hidden Places, Secret Spaces

Posted on by Betsy

Our beautiful Psalm today comes from a moment in King David’s life when he had just been called out by his friend Nathan for committing adultery with Bathsheba. The affair resulted in a pregnancy, so David called her husband home from the war for a “conjugal visit” in hopes of a cover-up. Uriah did not “cooperate” so David sent him back to the front lines so that he would be killed in action. David thought he had gotten away with his deceit…until Nathan called him out.

Facing the enormity of his sin was far greater than the condemnation of his friend. David’s heart is truly broken at his own behavior. He is crushed by his own transgression, and he crawls to the Lord in agony. Only God’s forgiveness can bring him relief.

Have you ever felt that way?

Psalm 51 (Common English Bible)

Have mercy on me, God, according to your faithful love!
    Wipe away my wrongdoings according to your great compassion!

David understands that he can’t make amends based on his own character. He has to count on God’s great compassion. He longs to be made clean.

2 Wash me completely clean of my guilt;
    purify me from my sin!
3 Because I know my wrongdoings,
    my sin is always right in front of me.
4 I’ve sinned against you—you alone.
    I’ve committed evil in your sight.
That’s why you are justified when you render your verdict,
    completely correct when you issue your judgment.
5 Yes, I was born in guilt, in sin,
    from the moment my mother conceived me.

When David says “I have sinned against you—you alone” he is not discounting the damage he has done to Uriah and Bathsheba. But he is aware that the breach of trust he has committed with God is far worse than any human consequence. He has to tell the truth.

6 And yes, you want truth in the most hidden places;
    you teach me wisdom in the most secret space.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier to just offer God truth in your hidden places? Well, you can. No matter what sin has separated you from God, confession and repentance allow you to start over again. God will completely cleanse you of your guilt.

Repentance is a complete turning away from the evil behavior that ensnared you. It is walking away and not looking back.

When you do that, ask God to teach you his wisdom and fill your most secret spaces with his word. God’s faithful love will redeem you.

Secret Spaces by Kathy Schumacher

Heart-Change

Posted on by Betsy

It has long been said that it is a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Any woman married to a man would probably add that it is also a man’s prerogative to change his mind. Changing your mind is not gender-specific. Changing your shoes, maybe, but not changing your mind.

As we follow along with our post-resurrection storyline, we discover the disciples continuing their work in Jerusalem, explaining and revealing the meaning and mystery of the resurrection. Peter is addressing a crowd in Jerusalem who is keenly aware of what has transpired. Not all were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection, but they know the rumors and have heard the stories.

Such a crowd is listening now to Peter speak, who is inspired by the Holy Spirit:

Acts 2 (Common English Bible)

36 “Therefore, let all Israel know beyond question that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

37 When the crowd heard this, they were deeply troubled. They said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Change your hearts and lives. Each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 This promise is for you, your children, and for all who are far away—as many as the Lord our God invites.” 

Change your mind. Use your prerogative. Change how you think about this, how you feel about this, and most importantly, change your life to reflect your new belief. The power of repentance to bring us closer to God can never be understated. It is the only way to receive complete and utter forgiveness of sins.

40 With many other words he testified to them and encouraged them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized. God brought about three thousand people into the community on that day.

Three thousand were brought into the community that day. Can you imagine their profound relief to know that Christ had died for their sin, and they carried that burden no more?

What burden of sin are you carrying right now? What heavy load can you remove with sincere repentance? Where is God calling you to change your mind, heart and LIFE?

This message wasn’t just for Peter’s audience that day, but is a living testimony to the power of God in YOUR life. It is never too late to repent. It is never too late to be cleansed of sin. It is never too late to unburden yourself of something you have carried for years.

It is never too late to change.

Lone Fisherman by Michelle Robertson

Lady-in-Waiting

Posted on by Betsy

From a historical perspective, a lady-in-waiting was a noblewoman of lower rank who attended a noblewoman of higher rank, such as a queen or princess. Her work centered on ensuring that the personal needs of her mistress were taken care of. More courtier or companion than servant, ladies-in-waiting provided assistance with secretarial needs, etiquette, practicing court dances, embroidery, wardrobe care, and delivering messages on behalf of their mistress in a discreet fashion. They wait in both contexts of that word: they wait on their mistress, and they sit and wait for their mistress to send for them.

I need a lady-in-waiting! Where can I get one?

Every woman I know has been a lady-in-waiting at some point in her life. Not in the context of court duties, but in the sense of having to wait for something. When we are engaged, we are waiting for the wedding to happen. When we’re pregnant, we wait for childbirth. We wait to hear if we’ve been accepted into college and grad school. We spend time sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for test results, and outside the interview room, waiting to see if we got the job. When hospice is brought in, we wait for our loved one to pass from this life to the next.

And then there is type of waiting that all people experience every day…waiting in line, waiting for phone calls, waiting at red lights, waiting for an apology, waiting for a house to sell, waiting for Christmas/vacation/birthdays/retirement to come…wait, wait, wait.

I hate waiting. How about you?

Luke 1 (The Message)

5-7During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old.

Elizabeth waited all her life to have a child. She did all the right things, lived a righteous life, and yet was still waiting into her old age. And then the unthinkable happened. An angel visited her husband Zachariah with some startling news:

13-15 But the angel reassured him, “Don’t fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you—many will delight in his birth. He’ll achieve great stature with God.

And leap like a gazelle they did! Then another kind of waiting began. Meanwhile, in another part of Israel, Elizabeth’s cousin Mary was also having a conversation with an angel, who brought her some startling news as well. And then he concludes with telling her about Elizabeth’s pregnancy:

36-38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

Waiters, take heed. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.

The thing you are waiting for will come to be, in God’s time. And if it doesn’t, it wasn’t going to be good for you. When I was five, I prayed for a pony. Still waiting.

God always works for the good of those who love him and who are called to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) So while waiting is tedious, stressful, and downright aggravating, we can acknowledge that God is present, even in the waiting.

One thing I noticed about how Elizabeth spent her waiting time was that she and Zachariah were said to “enjoy a clear conscience before God.” That tells me that they understood the value of repentance, which ironically was what their son John would spend his lifetime preaching about. Clear consciences come when we attend to God’s commandments and live honorable lives.

As you wait, consider this. How is your conscience? Is it clear? Are you harboring any grudges, withholding any offerings from God, or practicing things that would separate yourself from him? Are you ignoring God’s call to go and make amends with someone before you return to the altar?

Repentance is the great conscience-cleanser. When we turn away from sin and return to God, the angels rejoice and our load becomes lighter.

As you wait, remember Mary and Elizabeth. They waited, and waited, and waited. Then, in the fullness of time, they birthed joy, hope, salvation, and redemption for the world. What will God bring forth from your waiting?

Our mothers told us that good things come to those who wait. May you experience patience in the waiting, hope for the future, redemption in the now, and a new understanding that NOTHING is impossible with God.

Waiting for the Snow to Melt so I Can Play Ball (2014)