Come Let Us Return To The Lord !

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by  Mrs. Rita D'Souza

The season of Lent is a time lent to us to seek the Lord, to return to him in repentance and renew our love for him.

Repentance is a gift from God. Without the opportunity or grace given us to repent, we would never receive forgiveness for our sins and the gift of salvation. Luke 13:3 “….unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Worldly and Godly Repentance: (2 Corinthians 7:10) speaks about two types of repentance. “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret but worldly grief produces death.

Worldly grief:

Matthew. 27:3-4 says, that Judas repented and gave back the thirty pieces of silver and even confessed he had sinned. Yet his was repentance unto death, for he went out and hanged himself.

• Worldly grief denies the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and leads to death. Sorrow for sin is needed but it must lead to receiving forgiveness and restoration or returning to the Lord.

• We cannot pay for our sins with excessive sorrow or guilt. We need to turn from our sins to the Lord.

• Worldly grief produces the “pang of conscience”, but does nothing about it. Felix (Acts 24:24-27) was ashamed when he heard Paul speak but said “go away for the present.” Worldly grief pushes repentance for later and does not bear fruit that befits repentance (Luke 3:8).

• Worldly grief treats sin so casually that one sins and repents, just as a dog returns to his vomit. (2 Peter 2:22).

• Worldly grief has sorrow for sin because:
I have fallen in the eyes of others or in my own expectations.
I have been caught and so I am sorry.
I fear punishment

Godly grief:

• It is sorrow for sin because sin hurts or grieves God.

• Godly grief results in a hatred for sin which can only come with the grace of God. As long as I love my sin, I cannot truly repent.

• Godly grief calls sin as sin as defined by God’s word and not ones deadened conscience. It accepts responsibility for the sin and does not cast blame or make excuses (1 John 1:8,10)

• Godly grief recognizes that all sin whether done against my neighbour or through abuse of my body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) is ultimately an offense against God.

• Godly grief involves confession of my sin to God (1 John 1:9) and in the sacrament of reconciliation.

• Godly grief involves turning around, a metanoia or change of thinking about my sin and a forsaking of it.

• It involves restitution wherever needed (see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10).

• It involves receiving God’s forgiveness which means I forgive myself and return to the Lord.

Repentance is a life long process: Our walk with Jesus begins with it but it is needed every day of our lives.

Repentance is needed because our hearts would have grown “cold” and we have lost our first love (Revelations 2:4-5)

The way to deal with this condition is not to struggle with individual sins but to return to our first love – to return to the Lord. When our love is cold, it is easy to sin.

Hosea 10:12 says “break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord” (Also read Jeremiah 4:1 & 3).

The fallow ground is ground which was once tilled, but which now lies in a hardened and wasted condition. It needs to be broken up, softened before it is again ready to receive the seeds. Our hearts too can become hardened with repeated sinning or unconfessed sin or loss of love for Jesus. We need to break up the fallow ground of our hearts by returning to our first love through a detailed repentance where we allow the Holy Spirit to keep searching us and convicting us of every tiny sin.

Matthew 19:16-22 tells us about the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He was a good person who kept all the commandments, but he asked “What do I still lack?” Jesus told him to sell all he had and the young man went away sorrowful. His love for his wealth/ money/ riches kept him from Jesus.

What do I still lack? Is there another love (or some block) that has displaced my love for Jesus? Consider the following areas:
1. Love of ministry or the service of the Lord more than love for the Lord of the service.
2. Unforgiveness against a particular person.
3. Love of money, love of career.
4. Casual attitude to sin.
5. Pride
6. Failure to obey something that the Lord has asked of you.
7. Lack of total surrender of what and who is dear to you.
8. Not enough or regular time spent in the Lord’s presence and with his Word.

As we allow the Lord to show us “what we still lack”, will we respond with a “yes” or turn back sorrowfully like the young man.

This season of lent is a time where many of us abstain or fast from food. However, if our fasting is not accompanied with seeking the Lord and repentance, it would be in vain. Let us keep aside time to seek the Lord earnestly this lent.

o We could forfeit some TV programs to spend an hour each day reading the Word or worshipping the Lord.
o Do a detailed repentance on paper and then go for confession.
o Spend extended times listening to Jesus in silence.
o Working at healing all the broken relationships in our life, etc.

Come let us return to the Lord!

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