Wednesday, November 24, 2021

A Formula for Repentance

Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.
Daniel 9:13


There is great power in the simple formula of turning from your sin and giving attention to God's truth. In this passage, Daniel is repenting on behalf of his people. God has allowed them to be conquered and sent into captivity in Babylon because of their sin. God is punishing His people, yet they don't respond how they should. The right response would be for them to repent or turn from their sin and turn back to God's teachings to see what He would have them do. But Israel doesn't do that.

We are often no better. Although we think God may be punishing us for our sin and we readily admit that we do things we should not, we do nothing about it! We never quite get around to following Daniel's simple but powerful formula for life change. You want to get right with God? Turn from your sin and give attention to His truth. You want to avoid judgment? Turn from your sin and give attention to His truth. You want to grow closer to God, live a life more pleasing to Him, and be more like Jesus? You can accomplish all of these things by turning from your sin and giving attention to His truth. 

Put this into practice today. Don't plan on it. Don't think on it. Don't strategize how you are going to do it. Simply do it. Turn from the sin in your life and give attention to God's truth as revealed in His Word and see if He won't bless you. 

No comments: