Repentance: A 180 degree Turn

                                                                   Is God at work in you?
"'I have sinned.'  The surest sign that God is at work is when a man says that and means it."
            -Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest (December 7th)

I was struck by this quote this week.  It got me thinking about how easy I am on myself.  It's so easy for me to not take my sin seriously or many times to not even be aware of my sin and how it offends God.  Every Sunday at our church, there is a time for confession.  Our worship service begins with this act of humility.  I've been convicted lately of the need in my personal time with God to be more pro-active in rooting out the sin of my life and understanding the depths of my sin.  I should then regularly confess my sins before God.  Perhaps you would react to this saying, "Don't be so morbid. Why would I want to dwell on my sin?"  The answer to that question is...

in order to appreciate all that Jesus did for us in making payment for our sin, we must first recognize the extent of the nastiness of our sin.  Furthermore we should be remorseful over our sin.  We ought to be sorry for how we have loved many things over and above our Heavenly Father.  This is sometimes called having a repentant heart.  A repentant heart is one that does a 180 degree turn away from sin and seeks God.  Having failed to honor God, we are invited to return.

"'Yet even now', declares the Lord 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.'"  Joel 2:12

God wants honest, authentic, genuine hearts.  He desires hearts that truly turn to Him.  Just an outward show of being sorry is not enough, but an inward sorriness coupled with the commitment to walk away from that sin and seek God is what's required.

Take a moment today to seek the Lord asking him to show you your sinfulness and stir your heart towards authentic repentance.  See how the Psalmist is doing this very thing in Psalm 139
  
                                    ²³Search me, O God, and know my heart!
                                 Try me and know my thoughts!
                             ²⁴And see if there be any grievous way in me,
                                 and lead me in the way everlasting!