ODJ: true repentance
They turned from their sins and worshiped the Lord (v.19).
READ: Jeremiah 26:18-19
Today, my son lied to me. The specifics were minor, but his attempts to weasel out of the offense without coming clean caused me concern. One author, writing about our vague “confessions,” said that she imagines “God as a wily writing teacher [leaning] across the table and [saying], not at all gently, ‘Could you possibly be troubled to say what you mean?’”
The Bible characters who seem to always be in the middle of the fray, calling God’s people on the carpet for their sins, naming names—making pretty much everyone uncomfortable—are the prophets. Everyone liked the prophet, so long as he or she predicted blessing and good days ahead. The true prophet, however, was God’s mouthpiece—and God is about the business of uncovering hidden places of rebellion, dishonesty, and idolatry.
On one occasion, God had Micah tell Israel that because of their stubborn refusal to obey, they would be “plowed like an open field” (Micah 3:12). Dire words.
How do we respond when God points out our wayward ways? Do we wiggle and squirm and offer excuses about why we acted so poorly? Do we hide? Do we slough off our responsibility, refusing to own up to our sin?
King Hezekiah and Israel took the harder path, the one that leads to humility and repentance. “They turned from their sins and worshiped the Lord” (Jeremiah 26:19). No bartering. No wrangling. Just a straight, “I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”
The old confession of the church has it right: “Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You. . . . We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.”
—Winn Collier
Why might you be tempted to waffle rather than simply repent? What do you need to bring to God in true repentance?
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Loading ...ODB: credibility
January 13, 2010
READ: 1 Peter 2:11-21
[Have] your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that . . . they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God. —1 Peter 2:12
The recent global financial crisis caused people to pay closer attention to their credit report. When credit was easy to get, some people became careless about how they used it. They didn’t bother to save for what they wanted; they just borrowed. Being in debt was no big deal. But in a crisis, that is no longer the case. Having good credit is suddenly very important.
After an advertisement for a credit repair service, a local newscaster said, “Credit repair isn’t something you can buy; it’s something you have to work for.”
The same principle applies to the credibility of our lives. We can’t buy it; it’s something we have to work for. We may be able to “borrow” credibility for a while by associating ourselves with credible people, but sooner or later we will need our own.
Credibility has to do with the ability to elicit belief. The reason it’s essential for Christians is that our lives affect God’s reputation (1 Peter 2:12). When we call ourselves by Christ’s name, His reputation is tied to ours. If people have reason not to believe us, they may not believe God.
The way to earn credibility is to live honorably. Then others will believe and glorify God. — Julie Ackerman Link
If we take care of our character, our reputation will take care of itself.
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