The Repentance That Leads to Life

Acts 11:18 – “When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

What is the ‘path’ that leads to life – a new, born-again life? It is the path that has been beaten down by the knees of the prayerful elect, and wetted by their tears of repentance. Moisture and compacting has turned this holy ‘path’ into a hard one to travel – too hard for many. This path also has many blood stains from scraped and calloused knees, and its pilgrims are known for their torn raiment. This hard, narrow, bloodied path that leads to life is called the path of “Repentance”, and it is the singular way to the ‘narrow gate’ that sits at the end of its long stretch, and ushers a pilgrim home to glory. This path of Repentance can be painful, as one grieves over their insults to God. This path is fenced by ‘humility’ on one side and ‘brokenness’ on the other side, and there is a ditch on both sides of the path; one called ‘pride’ and the other called ‘religion’.

But along this path, all the way to the end, to the narrow gate are two kinds of shade trees for the weary pilgrims to sit under and rest; one kind of tree is called ‘promise’ and the other is called ‘hope’. And when a pilgrim is not on their knees in prayer and confession, they are walking, kicking up the dust of ‘faith’ and ‘trust’.

In their weakness they are helped along the journey of the path by the unseen One and by other pilgrims. Over the fences the world beckons them to “Come and partake of the luscious things that the world has to offer. Come and be filled, come and find pleasure, come and be safe, come and enjoy.”

Some of the pilgrims stumble along the path into one of the ditches, or sit idly against a fence, or stay too long under a tree, or even worse, they climb one of the fences and partake of the poisonous fruit that the world has to offer. And when they have thus been convicted by the unseen One, they rush back over the fence, or rise from their idleness, or crawl out of the ditch and bloody their knees once again on the hard path of Repentance, finding that eventually the shade of the trees ‘promise’ and ‘hope’ will move along the path, as the sun sets, and will cover them if they just stay on their knees long enough in prayer.

And by morning they find themselves covered in the dew of ‘forgiveness’ and are able to stand up, once more, and continue their walk towards the narrow gate that leads to glory. On they go; helping other pilgrims along the way – warning some who stare over the fences at the world that beckons them. There, on that tear-stained path they encourage one another, seeking the strength of Him who bids them, “Forward, forward…never give up! Come, keep your eyes on Me, don’t listen to the sounds of the world, don’t look at its seductive offerings, don’t smell the enticing aromas…come, listen to My voice and keep on walking after Me, in the shade of My glory…follow Me.”

Father, thank You for granting us “the repentance that leads to life.” Thank You for setting us on the path to the narrow gate, and for the company of others and, especially, for guiding us along this path…this glorious, gracious, merciful path of repentance. Amen.

A Shield About Me

Psalm 3:3 – “But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.”

Has Christ, the Messiah, ever lifted your head? Have you rested in Him? Have you exhausted all efforts to become righteous on your own, and rested in the strength and kindness of His hands? Do you see the shield of protection that is in one of His hands while your tired head is lifted by the other? Is there not overwhelming peace and comfort in seeing this shield of protection – His shield of glory? Can you then see that His glory is all around you, like a glow from a fire, providing warmth and assurance?

Friend, if you cannot see the glow of His glory, or the shield of His protection, if you cannot feel your weary head in His healing hand, then cry out in repentance. Declare yourself an unworthy sinner, and through your tears you will begin to see a glow, and sense a shield, and feel His hand lifting your tired head. And then rejoice in His mercy and grace – His gift of salvation. Look into His eyes of holiness and vow to mortify the sin in your life in order to be more like Him, to please Him - Him who kneels down to hold up your weary head and places His shield of glory over you to protect you from the enemy, for He loves you, with a mighty love. Amen!

Bow in Reverence!

“But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, at Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.” Psalm 5:7

Friend, bow in reverence to God! Shake out the poison of irreverence in your heart. Bow in submission to the holy God of all creation. Bow in gratitude for Him redeeming you (if you are redeemed). Meditate on the glory of the Lord – as far as your fallen mind can understand His glory. Make Him BIG in your heart and mind, not another hobby, not a mere friend, but God Almighty, who spoke His creation into existence. Fall on your face each day in gratitude that He chose so unworthy a creature as yourself to save. Revere His name, His character, His word, His glory, His righteousness, His holiness, His perfect wrath, His love, His condescension, His sacrifice, His Lordship, His joy, and His mercy and grace!

If you take God lightly, He may very well take you lightly. “Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them.” (Ezekiel 8:18) Our heavenly Lord deserves our complete and continual reverence. This is how we will be spending eternity! We will be praising and revering and glorifying Christ for all eternity! Maybe we should practice it a little bit down here - maybe a lot down here.

Do you revere anything above God? Family, kids, job, church, ministry, talents, gifts, status? If so, you are an idolater who needs to repent – revering His forgiveness. He is God, and deserves our reverence; and as we revere Him in our hearts, our hearts and lives will be blessed, and we will revere Him even more. Lose yourself in the glory of God! Be renewed in His righteousness, restored in His forgiveness, and refreshed in His love. Amen