Repent

We've been rescued, redeemed, restored and reserved a spot!

()oo the joy that comes thinking about that reserved spot!

Repent-"feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin." 

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:2

"And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Acts 2:38 

She/He Reads Truth did a study on Revelation recently.  Whitney Capps captivated my thoughts with these words.  

"In the first garden, when sin entered the world, perfection was broken, marred and spoiled. A seemingly unbridgeable chasm was created between what God had intended and what humanity would now experience. Perfection was made imperfect. The devastating effect of our rebellion was all-encompassing, wrecking ourselves, our relationships, and creation.  Nothing was left untouched. Sin is the most aggressive of cancers.

Let's look at a few of its fatal symptoms.

Sin separates and destroys our intimacy with our Creator. (Genesis 3:22-24)

Sin sentences us to death.  Every person will succumb. No one can escape it. Our bodies are breaking down. Death looms for us and our loved ones.  Though we will be raised to life in Christ, most of us will mourn many times over before we see our Maker.  Death, mourning, crying, and pain are the results of the fall, full of emotions we were never meant to experience.  

Sin spoils everything. Now creations groans and travails awaiting the restoration of what was lost. (The Good News!)  God is now making all things new, putting an end to all that was broken. What we had forfeited, He has restored. God isn't just creating a new heaven and a new earth, glorious as that is. No, He is restoring perfection, ridding us of all the residue and side-effects of sin."  

In our Monday night women's Bible study we all tip toed around a section teaching on our need for repentance.  Oh, that the garden days had been different and Eve had resisted temptation.  We don't know what life without sin would have looked like, but we give thanks for a way out and up.

We rejoice that in all our mess and muck Jesus made a way by giving His life for us. Too great a love for us as humans to comprehend.