About Face

Last Sunday, Brad gave a really nice reflection in church about John the Baptist and his call to repentance. The way it is often broken up into scripture readings, we almost always read the part about repenting separate from the questions by individuals that state, 'What should I do?' But really in its entirety, this is a whole passage together.

Most of think of repentance as going to God and saying, "I'm sorry. I repent. Forgive me." But that's not it. It's an actual 180 degree turn around. It's a change in our actions, when we ask 'What should we do?' and 'How can we do this differently?' So in this complete turn around we change not only the way we are facing (renewing our relationship with God), but we also face some new changes, a radical change in our lives. That was the challenge that John the Baptist gave to those he baptized. That was the challenge we accepted on the day of our own baptism. That's the challenge we have every day when we repent of our own sins.

Facing God

¹ “Come, let us return to the LORD.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
² After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.
³ Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.” ~Hosea 6:1-3

Unfortunately the outcome to what Hosea is saying here is quite bleak. This chapter goes on to explain how the Israelites did not do this. They remained unfaithful and did not return to the Lord. Of course that was at one point. Eventually, they did return to the Lord, but it was a long journey, one that could've been made my shorter by repenting with the sentiments described above.

This passage is particularly moving, since it has both the realization of what we should do "Let us" and what God will do "he will" in the restored relationship. For example, it states, "Let us return to the Lord," "Let us acknowledge the Lord," and "Let us press on to acknowledge Him." We are not only drawing close to Him, but we are recognizing Him and His power, and we are "pressing on". We are persevering, even when it's hard, even when we're busy. We need to make time to draw close to the Lord. Then, perhaps, it's even more important.

I'm quite amazed by the food chain Chick Fil A. A huge corporation, it could easily bring in a huge profit on Sundays, but they've decided to take the day off. Anyone would claim it was a huge business mistake, but they haven't gone under. As a business, they do just fine. Now, I don't mean to say that we all should strictly follow Sabbath, although that might not be a bad idea- I often try to do so in order to appreciate the gift God gave to us of rest. But, what I see here is an example of "pressing on", of doing what might be hard in order to acknowledge and draw near to the God who we need in order to make our repentance worthwhile. After all, we repent of our sins, because they separate us from God. Our repentance is our attempt to renew this relationship, and draw closer to Him.

Facing Change

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. ~Revelations 2:4-5

The renewal of the relationship between God and ourselves is not the end of the story, though it is essential. The power given to us through prayer is deeply connected with the change that we are challenged to take part in. As was stated to this Church of Ephesus in the passage above, they are called to "Repent and do." They must "do the things [they] did at first." Though speaking directly about repentance, this passage neither speaks of action, of "doing." It is essential that we not only repent and ask "Forgive me, Father." We need that change in action. We must do something differently.

By pressing on in our relationship with God, we can pray about changes that we need to see in our lives and ourselves. God will give us the strength to make the changes, and we will do things differently. We can and will do things differently through Christ who strengthens us.

It reminds me of the beautiful hymn: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow." Through a renewed relationship and through a renewed commitment to change, we can face tomorrow and in a very different way... an about face!