 | Today, the fortieth day before Easter, is known as Ash Wednesday in liturgical traditions. It is a day when parishioners are marked with ash made from last year's palm crosses, signifying an attitude of penitence. The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘repent’ as “to think with contrition about….; to be regretful about….; to wish one had not done….; or to resolve not to continue wrongdoing in…” |
These strike me as rather weak versions of a powerful Biblical truth. Repentance in the Bible is all about our response to a Holy God.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated ‘repent’ comes from a root word meaning ‘to sigh’ & speaks of human sorrow at our failure to measure up to God’s standards. The Old Testament is the story of that failure.
The New Testament, however, tells a different tale: how Jesus came so man could be forgiven & set free, & how He sent the Holy Spirit to enable people to live different lives. New Testament repentance isn’t just about contrition or resolution, it’s about empowerment.
Interestingly, in the New Testament, the Greek word translated ‘repent’ means ‘to think differently’, ‘to change one’s way of thinking’. The starting point for repentance is to agree with God, to align ourselves with His thoughts. To behave differently, we have to think differently.
..... be transformed by the renewing of your mind, says Paul in Romans 12:2
We can start that process of transformation, in this, the run up to Easter, by reflecting on what has been purchased for us through the Cross. Click on the link below for some daily meditations:
Receiving God's forgiveness and deliverance, are the first steps to a changed life - the fruit of a repentant heart.
Where do you need to change your thinking to agree with God?
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