REPENTANCE IS RECEIVING GOD’S THOUGHTS

This week, I am exploring what God says about REPENTANCE. As I enter prayer now, I reflect on God’s instruction: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 

Lord, I repent of my sin and am blessed by Your forgiveness.   

Thank You for Your grace and mercy in my life. 

Let us consider the Word of the Lord from Isaiah 55:1-9: 

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

When I’m thirsty, do I reach for some sugary drink to gain temporary satisfaction, or do I seek pure water which will sustain my life?  God has a different approach to my life than me and wants to give me things which allow me to crave His Living Water and experience His goodness.   

Repentance means I tell God I’m sorry for trying to run my own life, and I desire Him to walk with me and guide me to what He desires for me.  It is only through this amazing relationship with Him that I experience true goodness in my life--goodness that is satisfying and long-lasting. 

Lord, I’m so sorry that I’ve got caught up in trying to plan my own life.  Please help me to seek You alone and guide me to You. 

When I attempt to seek my own satisfaction, God desires me to forsake those ways and thoughts. He desires me to seek Him so that I can learn His thoughts and His ways in my life. 

Lord, I desperately need Your thoughts and ways in my life.  Please help me to seek You so I can learn to hear You clearly and apply these in my life.   

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.