Grace + Forgivenessಮಾದರಿ

What is repentance?

It is turning our hearts and minds away from sin and towards God who can forgive us and make us new.

Most of us have heard of the idea of repentance, but what does it actually mean? What did Jesus mean when he talked about it?

Jesus’ native language was a form of Hebrew called Aramaic, and in Aramaic the word for repent is shuv, which means turn around and come home. So, for example, when Jesus walked around ancient Palestine and repeatedly told people to repent (and the gospels tell us that Jesus often did this), he was essentially telling people to turn around and come home. Or, in other words, he was saying, “Stop walking away from God and walk toward him instead!”

So, repentance is a good word, a word full of potential for healing and hope. It carries with it the promise that there is still such a place as home, a place where we can be loved, where we can be honest, and where we can be cared for. And it carries with it the promise that the Father is  at home, and he’s full of love and forgiveness.

Of course, the hard part of repentance can be turning away from sin. On the surface, sin can seem so good, so attractive. But maybe you’ve experienced the devastation it brings. It’s so much better to go home, to turn around and walk to God. That’s where life, joy and restoration are!

Whatever is going on in your life, remember that God is  home. He’s one prayer away, and everything that you have been searching for and longing for is found in him. He loves you.

Spend some time in prayer confessing your sins to God and reminding yourself that he deeply loves you.