Repentance
I went fishing this morning. I was inspired up early and Starbuck’s was not opening for another half hour. So I parked and walked down to the pond to try my luck. There was a lot of moss, which made me have to stop after every cast to clean off the lure. Then the mosquitos started to attack me! So after about 10 casts I am getting frustrated and bitten and as I go to pull the seaweed off my hook I did it, the hook penetrated deep into my thumb. A simple pull was not going to get it out. It was stuck. I have been stuck worse before. But still it was fairly deep and I knew what it would take to get it out, I yanked it hard and felt the flesh that was on the inside of my finger was now on the outside (I don’t like that). You see this is what I call repentance, the removal of the hook.
We try other things like rationalizing, “perhaps no one will notice?” “I don’t really need to shake hands anyway because fist bumps are in, high fives are out.” “If I keep real still it doesn’t even hurt that much.” Yeah whatever, repentance is a positive move, it is the removal of the problem. Sometimes it really hurts but it is the only real solution.
In Joshua 7 - Achan is a guy that takes something that he was told not too and Israel goes out to fight and loses. There is hidden sin and until it is removed Israel will not win any battles. Does that sound like your spiritual life? Is there something you need to remove so that you can have victory. Our God is very gracious if you will turn from your sins and embrace what Jesus did on the cross in your place. I know Him, He will treat you so well. So much better than you deserve.
You see before I went fishing this morning, I woke up and the Holy Spirit showed me that I have not been serving others well, I repented I asked God to forgive me and to help me serve others better. Me getting hooked was just another way God wanted me to think about repentance so that I could share with you. I tell you…He is Good!
Love you
