Encouraging Repentance

A man tells of losing a small challenge with one member of a class of young students. His loss meant he owed that youngster a can of pop. He had an idea and went to the store and bought a case of cold pop and treated the whole class. They were excited and thankful. He later said that it seldom takes very much to make someone’s day.

Weeks ago, I was in a store with electronic checkout machines that talked. One live human stood behind a till off to the side. I opted to her and said, “I’d rather talk to you than one of those machines.” She nearly cried and said, “That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all week.” 

I agree… it doesn’t take much. A smile. A kind word. Even a short note or a text with a photo, or some fresh lettuce from the garden, or a loaf of homemade bread, or even a can of soda. Yet I hear the sermons and read the books that tell me to say profound words or do weighty things to have an impact on the lives of others. However, a thoughtful word can warm someone’s heart.

My hubby was in a large airport last week in the USA and thanked one of the government employees for serving even though he was not getting paid that week. The man was profoundly thankful. Hubby often thanks clerks or waiters in the same way. Another man tells us that when he prays before meals in a restaurant, he asks the servers if there are things he can pray for on their behalf. These examples affect me. I watch those who struggle in this messed up and greed-filled world with exorbitant prices, much unkindness, and very little encouragement. Their faces give away their need for kindness. And God says to me: “Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12, 14). 

Some assume that being nice to others will have little affect on unconverted sinners, or it might even make them think their lifestyle is acceptable, but at least one person says, “Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning.” Kindness is not manipulation though. It is more like opening doors for God to enter. These verses are what He does with our obedience to be kind. . . . 

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
Correct his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 2:25)

Repentance is not about being sorry I was caught, but about turning from sin to God. He forgives that sin and is able to change lives; so much so that what I once thought was my right to do, or was okay, or didn’t hurt anyone, is gone because of God's kindness. I am also glad when others repent . . . .  

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:9–10)

And lest I think my indignation at their sin, or my harsh rebukes will have a positive effect, in the end time when God visits the world with plagues and terrible things, these will not change anyone. He says:

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20–21)

They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:9–11)

PRAY: Sometimes the sinfulness in the world makes me want to string perps up by the thumbs or worse, but Your kindness is intended to lead people to repentance — and only when that no longer works will they suffer the results of their choices. Instead of expressing how I feel about sin, grant me the grace to be kind, Your kind of being kind, so that they might know that You want the very best for them. Help me also remember that Your ways are far above my ways. Instead of human responses to needy people, may Your will be done in me.

God never worries . . . ?

 

 

At times I go to bed with both physical and emotional fatigue. The day was long, and the news of the day overwhelms me. I should pray yet know I will not stay awake. While I’ve not said this aloud, I’m thinking, “I’ll let God worry about all that stuff.” As if God worries. This year’s devotions focus on what God is, but today the focus is what God is not; He isn’t a worrywart!

How do I know that? The biggest reason is that He tells me not to worry and since His goal is that I become more like Jesus, I must assume that being like Him means not being worried.

Another reason is the definition. To be worried  means becoming concerned, or fearful about something. It most frequently refers to an unhealthy and unproductive concern or worry about events and circumstances. This is especially true of a focus on physical and temporary matters rather than spiritual matters. Since God can do whatever He determines to do in both the physical and spiritual realm, and since He is not the author of fear, worry is not one of His attributes. And He tells His people to not go there:

Psalm 127:2. “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

Isaiah 35:4. “Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’ ”

Jeremiah 17:7–8. “Blessed is the man whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Yet there are at least two OT cases for worry. It is legitimate if God reveals something that I need to give attention to, something that requires prayer and/or action on my part. Daniel  was given visions and he said, “My spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.” This motivated him to seek truth from the Lord.

Another positive case for worry is Psalm 38:18: “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin” and the word for ‘sorry’ is ‘worry’ — indicating that it is right to be concerned and fearful about our sin, for that kind of response to it leads to repentance:

2 Corinthians 7:9–10. “As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

Neither example show that God worries, only that when we worry, it ought to be a godly concern for a deeper spiritual life and a closer relationship with our Lord.

The NT pattern is the same. God tells me not to worry about my life and the temporal needs of life. Such anxiety is lack of faith in His care. It can also lead to being critical of others who don’t share my beliefs.

Luke 12:22–31. “ . . . Do not be anxious about your life . . . food . . . body . . . clothes . . . Consider the ravens . . . God feeds them . . . and clothes the lilies . . .  how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

Luke 10:40–42. “Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things . . . .’ ”

The Bible tells me not to worry about what I will say to those who oppose my faith, or anything else.

Philippians 4:6–7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Yet there is a legitimate worry: concern for others. This concern is not about lack of sleep or ulcers, but a motivation for prayer and action that shares or lifts burdens.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. I can let worry take my focus off the power of God, or distract me from whatever I should be doing, or be critical of those I think should be doing something. Instead, God wants me to use anxiety as motivation for prayer and service, trusting Him rather than getting knotted up and trying to check things off His to-do list.