Tag: repentance

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Drifting

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Malachi.

By the time we get to the book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, God’s people have been back from exile for about one hundred years. During that time, they have drifted back into some old habits.

  • They are bringing imperfect animals for their sacrifices. The law clearly states that offerings must be without blemish. Anyone can spare a blind, sick, or lame animal. What kind of a sacrifice is that?
  • The priests are not teaching teaching the curriculum entrusted to them. God doesn’t grade on the curve. It’s important to stick with the lesson plan.
  • Couples are divorcing at an alarming rate. God had other, better plans for marriage.
  • Tithes and offerings are down. People have forgotten that God will always give you more than you give him. (What church hasn’t addressed this at the end of a fiscal year?)

It’s a perfect example of how anyone can drift away from God and his ways. It doesn’t happen in a week, a month, or a year. But over decades, disciplines begin to slip. You skip a workout here and there, and suddenly, you’re only getting to the gym twice a week. A weekly phone call becomes twice a month. You cancel one dental cleaning, you blink your eyes, and suddenly it’s been two years. One travel weekend, one sick child weekend, one guests-town-weekend, and just like that you’ve missed three weeks of worship. That’s all it takes to establish a new habit.

God is not happy, but he’s not surprised by any of this. He graciously sends prophets to call people to account, to repentance, and to restoration.

It’s kind of like wading out into the ocean. You’re enjoying the warm air and the cool water. Then you look up and realize the currents have pulled you away from the place where you set up beach chairs and cooler. How did that happen?

A loving God lets us drift, but never too far away. He loves us too much. He speaks, he warns, he sends prophets, he disciplines, he loves us too much to let us drift too far away.

So the book of Malachi is both a warning and assurance that God is serious about us and our lives.

How far have you drifted? How far have I drifted?

Whoa. I’ve gotten through the Old Testament. Again. It’s been a long journey. Are you still with me?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just get up

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Matias Ilizarbe on Unsplash

When men fall, do they not rise again?
    If one turns away, does he not return?
Why then has this people turned away
    in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit;
    they refuse to return. (Jeremiah 8:4,5)

I’m old enough to remember LifeAlert’s 1987 television commercial that featured a woman on the floor, crying out, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” The LifeAlert system would make sure help was on the way.

Typically, when you fall down, you get up. Babies learning to walk fall back on diaper-padded bottoms and get back up as they find their balance and learn to walk. A pile of football players get up after blocks, runs, catches, and tackles, huddling up to get the next play. My grandkids run around the yard (and house), fall a lot, laugh and get up over and over and over.

But Jeremiah preaches to people who fall and don’t get up. They fall into idolatry and sin, but never repent, never return to God, never get back on the right track. It’s not that they can’t. They won’t. They refuse.

That’s Jeremiah’s congregation. They won’t listen. They refuse to change. They are impossible to teach.

The thing is, God wants to help you get back up. He knows you’re going to disobey, fail, blow it, and make a huge mess of things. But he’s all about forgiveness and restoration. He’ll do whatever it takes to get you back on your feet, even if you come away with a few bruises and lot of hard lessons learned.

So when you fall (fail), will you take his hand, or thumb your nose at God? When Peter walked on the water with Jesus, he suddenly began sinking. Jesus took his hand and pulled him up.

That’s the kind of God he is.

Are you going to pass that up? Are you going to refuse his help when you are out of answers? Are you going to dig in your heels when you know what you should do?

Yes, you will. Yes, I do. I am so thankful for his steadfast love and daily morning mercies!

Posted in Advent devotions

Let ‘er rip!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

What’s your reaction when you hear scripture being read? You know, like when you’re in church and the pastor reads a passage before a sermon.

Or what about this: how do you respond when you read the bible? You know, in the early morning when you are doing your devotions?

Do you laugh? Cry? Get angry? Feel guilty?

None of the above?

Do you feel anything?

That’s a penetrating question. It’s a bit convicting. I read scripture a lot. Every day, first thing in the morning. I read through the entire bible once a year. I’ve read the bible cover to cover at least three dozen times. I hear scripture read every Sunday in worship services. I listen to the bible through an app on my phone. I hear verses read aloud on Christian radio.

You know what? Most of the time I don’t feel anything. Most of the time, it’s an intellectual encounter with God.

Okay, so let’s compare that with how King Josiah reacted to a scripture reading. When workmen repaired the temple and found the scrolls of God’s Word, the king’s secretary read it to him.

“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes” (2 Kings 22:11).

In Old Testament culture, that means he felt convicted. Josiah was distraught. Devastated. He was so upset that he tore his clothes, the ultimate expression of confession and repentance before God.

So maybe I should ask a different question when I encounter God’s Word. Instead of asking, “What does this mean?” or “How should I apply this?” or “What should I do (or stop doing)?” I could ask, “How does this make me feel?” Does these verses or chapter spark joy? Or do they make me want to throw my bible across the room? Should I be dancing? Or should my eyes tear up?

My dog’s tails betray their feelings. Depending on my tone of voice, their tails might be wagging with delight or be tucked under in submission.

Josiah gets a Jesse Tree ornament because he responded to God’s promises of a Savior. He knew he needed grace. I do too.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Repentance is always on the table

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jorge Garcia on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Kings 21.

The writer of first Kings gives King Ahab the honor of being the worst king – maybe the worst person – ever!

“There certainly was no one like Ahab who gave himself over to do evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 21:25).

And yet, when confronted by Elijah, Ahab repents.

“Yet it came about, when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring the disaster upon his house in his son’s days.” (1 Kings 21:27-29)

When Ahab repents, God is merciful to him! It makes me wonder, “Is repentance ever off the table?”

We like to think so. We like to think that when someone crosses a line, it’s over. There’s no going back. And yet Jesus himself says, “the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out” (John 6:37).

On any given day, I underestimate God’s mercy and overestimate my own righteousness. Chapters like this and kings like Ahab force me to reevaluate. Repentance is always on the table. Repentance is always on he table for me. That’s because Jesus is on the cross for me. Not just for everyone, but for me.

Thank God his mercies are new every morning!

Posted in Devotions, Lent

“Blood mingled with sacrifices”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“By His Blood” 2020 Lent devotion #33

Photo by frolicsomepl on pixabay

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (Luke 13:1)

Boy, that’s a gruesome headline, isn’t it? Imagine traveling to Jerusalem to worship. But as you bring your sacrifice to the temple,  there is pushing and shoving, a fight breaks out, swords are drawn as soldiers step in and before you know it, there’s more than the blood of bulls and lambs to clean up. Some of those from Galilee died that day, too. 

Why did that happen? Were these Galileans worse sinners than those who lived to worship another day? No. Stuff happens. All the time. Jesus then adds, “But if you don’t repent, you will all likewise perish” (15:3). It could happen to you! 

For those who gather to worship, it’s not about who is better or worse. In the mirror of God’s law, we all sin and fall short of his glory. We all deserve the wages of our sin, not just a messy death but eternal separation from God himself. 

In repentance, we realize it’s only by God’s grace that we stand. It’s only because of his mercy that we live. It’s only because of Christ that we have a chance. His blood, shed on the cross, becomes the atoning sacrifice for our sins. For my sin. And for the sins of everyone in the world. 

You and I have to get past comparing ourselves to others. Comparisons will never give you the security that Christ can. And nothing compares with Him!

Lord, be merciful to all caught in the crossfire of sin in this world. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Amen. 

Posted in Grace

Forgiveness is a must

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Gianandrea Villa on Unsplash

“Is it ever OK for a Christian to not forgive?” In a word: no.

I wasn’t present, but I know the question came up recently in a bible class. More than a few folks argued that there are just some offenses and sins that couldn’t and shouldn’t be forgiven.

Scripture is clear: Christians forgive. We forgive because we have been forgiven. When Peter asked Jesus if there was a cap on forgiveness, Jesus said, “No.” Peter asked, “How many times do I forgive someone? Seven times?” Jesus replied, “Seventy-seven times.” In other words you always forgive.

Jesus then tells a story that illustrates his point in Matthew 18:23-35. God’s forgiveness is so extravagant that we must forgive the comparatively small things others say or do against us. His instruction to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” expresses the same directive. Our mandate is to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). He sets the example; we follow suit.

No one ever said it was easy. Forgiveness is hard. God doesn’t just look the other way or say, “Forget about it.” His declaration of the forgiveness only happens because Jesus was crucified, paying for our sins with his life. In fact, Jesus paid for all sins by his innocent suffering and death.

“But what if they don’t repent?” “What if they aren’t sorry?” Neither changes the call to forgive. Forgiveness is one-sided. You let it go. You don’t hold it over someone’s head. You don’t seek retribution. You do not make them pay for what they have done.

Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting, though. It does, however, give us a different way of remembering without resentment or bitterness. Forgiveness makes it possible to see the one who hurt us through the lens of the cross, which always brings Christ’s compassion and mercy into view.

However, forgiveness may or may not lead to reconciliation. Forgiveness is one-sided. You can intentionally forgive in your heart all on your own. Reconciliation, however, takes two. It requires two people to work to heal a broken relationship. Reconciliation may take a long, long time. Though pursued, it may never happen. You may never get along with someone, even though you have forgiven them.

What about Jesus’ words to his disciples, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld” (John 20:23)? The church pairs these words with Jesus’ teaching about what to do when a “brother sins against you” (Matthew 18:15-20). Much responsibility is given to the church to hold its members accountable for their actions and proclaim God’s forgiveness. In other words, the preaching of Law and Gospel is serious business! Just remember, you are not the church. You are simply a child of God, forgiven and free from your sins. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8 NIV).

Posted in church, Grace, Ministry

Denied.

Posted on by William Douthwaite

peter-miranda-21643
Photo by Peter Miranda on Unsplash

I just started reading the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, and I think I had forgotten how harsh that prophetic message is. By the end of the second chapter God is basically saying, “Don’t come to me for help. Go to all those gods you’ve been worshiping” (Jeremiah 2:28).

So I began to wonder, at what point could I turn someone away who has been away from the church for a long, long time, but comes back for some a la carte spiritual food? Like someone who you haven’t heard from in about fifteen years who calls up one day and says, “Can I get my kids baptized this Sunday?” Or another who stops by the church now and again and sends an email asking me to do their wedding eighteen months from now. I denied both requests.

Of course I felt guilty. How could I not, seeing as how Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son being welcomed home? And there have been families who have been away for a while who have recently reconnected with the church. And I had no problem with them.

“With great power comes great responsibility.” I always thought Uncle Ben said that to Peter Parker (Spiderman). Actually, it is attributed to Voltaire. Anyway, it applies here. Jesus gives the church the authority to forgive or not, to loose or bind people in their sin.

But how do you know whether to apply mercy or accountability in a given situation? The catechism says you forgive the sins of the repentant. But how do you know if someone is repentant?

The bottom line is, you don’t. You can talk to someone and try to understand their story. You could look for the fruits of repentance. But in the end, you really don’t know. I tend to lean towards compassion, but in the two examples above, I just couldn’t do it.

Sometimes Jesus said, “I don’t condemn you.” Other times he said, “You’re already condemned” (John 3:18). Jesus didn’t like it when the Pharisees shut heaven’s door in people’s faces. Yet he also warned against giving pearls to the pigs.

But Jesus was better at sorting things out. He’s really good at reading hearts and minds.

And he’s great at keeping me on task. I’m not supposed to be a religious sub-contractor, providing various services. I’m just the messenger.

 

Posted in Grace, Life

Gloom, despair, agony, repentance and mercy

Posted on by William Douthwaite

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I guess you have to pick your poison. Tornadoes in Oklahoma, hurricanes in Florida, superstorms in New England, earthquakes in California, shootings, bombs, abduction, epidemic, drought, infestation, pestilence, plague, processed meat — no matter where you go, there is a very real, imminent threat to your life, your family, your church, your friends and your community. What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?

Are there really more threats on our lives? Or is there just more breaking news about threats to our lives? Has anyone done the research? Are there really more people dying from those things, or is there just more gloom, despair and agony thrust upon me each day?

A long time ago, the apostle Paul wrote that “the present form of this world is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). He wrote that in the context of urging some Christians not to get too attached to the things of the world. They won’t last. And each tragedy, disaster and act of violence that claims life and makes us afraid is a powerful reminder that it’s all going to be gone someday (2 Peter 3:10-13), to replaced by something new and much, much better.

So how do we react to the events? How do we respond to the news? If someone close to us is affected, we show mercy help them through it in every way we can. If they are far away, we pray and contribute to support those who are in that place providing help.

But we also keep Jesus’ words in mind: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Headline news provides a vivid reminder of our sin and its consequences in this world, and the only cure is the forgiveness and life we have through our faith in Jesus Christ. Let the headlines send you running to Him, and then back out into the world with His mercy.