Turning Around Towards Repentance
“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Devotional:
Can you close your eyes and remember in your heart the day you made your profession of faith? I had my moment when I was a child, I confess I don't remember it, but I do remember the day I knelt down in the shower of a hospital and reconciled with the Lord. I remember that day well, there was crying, pain, sorrow and I remember something very painful and sweet at the same time. When I arrived at the church every hug from every brethren, every gesture of love they gave me was so painful for me because they reminded me how far I had been from my God and how much I had failed Him by missing the mark. I received the rebuke, if it can be called that, from the Lord through the embrace of my brothers in Christ and the love they professed to me. Repentance of course is not when we cry because we recognize that we have done wrong but when we turn to another direction to change our lives and sacrificially submit ourselves to God's will for our lives. The apostle Paul in the book of Romans chapter 12 verse 1 tells us thus: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Inasmuch as you have acknowledged the grace of God his favor and mercy the way to accept it is to present your body as a living sacrifice. Remember in the Old Testament there had to be blood for the remission of sins, that sacrifice and ceremony was fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and the way we correspond to that sacrifice is by repenting of our wicked ways and turning to Jehovah as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.
Let’s Pray:
Father you who lead me to the truth of repentance I ask that I not only cry but that I convert and return to the original design that you created me to be. Lord forgive my sins, forgive my rebellion today I return to you. As the psalmist Jesus Adrian Romero said: "If we owed you anything, we ask that you allow us to return to you, to express to you again that it is about you". Remind me of the cross and what it cost you for my freedom. In the name of Christ my Lord and Savior Amen.
