Away and towards. These are the two directions of Christian faith. Two, seemingly opposites, yet they move in the same direction. They flow together in the stream of repentance.
To repent is to turn. The Hebrew word for repentance is about turning away from those things that stand opposed to God.
When you repent from sin, you turn away from it. The Holy Spirit, working within you, lets you see sin as the fabric of a less-than life. Turning away is repentance. It is recognizing the burden and brokenness and wanting more. It is about wanting better.
But the gift of repentance isn't about guilt or shame. It is not God's manipulative ways to make you feel dirty about who you are or what you have done. Your God is not interested in shaming you into a deeper commitment or dependance upon Him.
The Lord wants your heart and shame never wins at love.
That's the beauty of the Hebrew word for repentance. It isn't solely about turning away from sin. It is also, even more so, about turning towards. Repentance is about Re-turning. It is a coming back to the heart of your Father in heaven.
Turn away and turn towards. Opposites--yet moving in the same direction.
The life of faith and the season of lent is not about trying to sin less and learning to love more. Those words of less and more have such limited and subjective meanings.
But turning--that makes a little more sense. Tuning your life to the song of the Creator—this is a disciple's calling. The Lord is the tuning fork. He is the perfect pitch.
I was lucky enough to be in Florida this past week for a little R&R. Every time I come to the beach, if only for a moment, I face the sun. With my toes dug in the sand and my body aligned with the sunlight and its warmth, I close my eyes and breath deep the ocean air.
This is our turning—this is repentance. To turn away from darkness and return to the warmth of His light.
And, as Luther declares, it isn't a one time deal. Returning to the Lord is a never ending alignment. It is an ongoing dance, and we have two left feet. Thanks be to God, He is a gracious and patient partner in this dance. | 