True repentance is never late and late repentance is never true.
Teshuvah, Return, realize and do the work of repentance. Pay your vows to the Most High and declare the good things He has done. When we blow the trumpet we are praising from our own lips.
When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who attacks you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God and delivered from your enemies. And on your joyous occasions, your appointed feasts, and the beginning of each month, you are to blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will serve as a reminder for you before your God. I am the LORD your God.” (Numbers 10:9-10).
Awake My Heart
From Your heart comes streaming down
Unending love, beaming all around.
Loving kindness, like light of dawn
By Your grace we are drawn.
Sunset Picture © laurette laster, taken 2017 during this season. No matter how dark it seems, there is light on the way. Times of refreshing follow repentance. It’s not too late.
From dusk to dawn and back, You trace,
Faithful love, amazing grace.
Breath of God, Ancient of Day’s,
Here I am, hungering for Your ways.
Awake my heart, awake behold,
“In the beginning,” mysteries unfold.
Coming forth from Ancient of Day’s;
Teach me Lord to know Your ways.
Poem written by Laurette Laster © 2017
Psalm 92:2
It is good to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening.
During this season of Teshuvah we are being wooed to come back to our first love.
The Days of Awe………Day 4
Repentance has many sides and one of them is praise. We must consider who God is!
When we realize who is beckoning us, who it is that is drawing us to Him, we will be amazed at the wonder. When we realize God Almighty, Creator of the universe and creator of everything we see and touch knows our name, this is a definite game changer.
The wonder and awe of a God, who so loves us, that He would be saying, come up here, come to Me. I want to meet with you, I long to fellowship with you. These seasons, or appointed times are set in eternity. They come around in order that we may acknowledge who God is, and in acknowledging Him, we return to Him.
The 40 Days of Teshuvah are the time when Moses returned back up Mount Sinai. God proclaimed to Moses who He was. He proclaimed that as The Lord, Our Father, He is gracious, forgiving wickedness, sin and rebellion. Aren’t we grateful for this? Rebellion is said to be as the sin of witchcraft, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king. (1 Samuel 15:23 KJV). Refusal to follow God’s commands can cost us everything.
Today if you are a recipient of the kindness of God, He is looking for ROI- Return on His Investment. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.
Can there be good sorrow? The Bible tells of such sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:10 describes this sorrow as, a godly sorrow that leads to repentance never to be repented of again, leading to salvation. I would say that is indeed a good sorrow.
NLT version- for the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There is no regret for this kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
This sorrow and/or repentance produces 7 things:
1. Earnestness- ready to clear ourselves of the charges against us.
- Concern to clear yourself- disgusted with the wrong we have done.
- Indignation- afraid of reaping what we’ve shown.
- Such alarm – because of our choices and actions.
- A longing and a deep desire to see God- understanding that our sin hinders intimacy with God.
- Zeal- willing to do whatever it takes.
- A readiness to punish wrong or see justice done. Get on Gods side.
Then we know we have done everything necessary to make things right.
When we repent at this level we praise God for His mercy. We realize and have understanding and knowing we deserved judgment but instead we received God’s Amazing Grace and mercy because of His great love.
John 3:16 He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believed on Him would not perish but received everlasting life.
Brings this song to mind-
You are good-(He is only good)
Your kindness, leads me to repentance
Your goodness, draws me to Your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Every day, I’ll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart
Chorus – You are good, You are good, You are good,
And Your mercy is forever
You are good, You are good, You are good,
and Your mercy is forever
It is the grace of God that leads us to repentance.
Have you praised today?
Return, Repent, Shuv, Teshuvah!
Let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father. Growing up spiritually is hard work. I admit and confess that during my growing pains I have not praised You as I should. I know that as You stretch me to new lengths it is because You are preparing me to be propelled upwards into greater heights with You. Help me Lord to see every obstacle as an opportunity. I want to recognize and to learn Your ways Father. I do not want to see them as a reason to complain and grumble. Lord Jesus, You humbled Yourself and went to the Cross for me, and if that was all there was, it would have been enough. I know that You have given me new life, and life more abundant. The abundance offered by You requires a work from me. Not work to receive salvation, but now working to grow and cultivate the new life You have gifted to me. I know that I am called to bear fruit worthy of repentance which is shown by my lifestyle. Oh Lord Jesus, how can I thank You for investing in me? I bring my heart to You today as an offering. Amen
Out God is a gracious God, slow to anger! He’s a Good, Good Father, and we are loved. The beloved!
Don’t miss this season of Teshuvah it is my favorite time of the year.
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
Through All Seasons 