July 8, 2019 -- Joel 2:12-13 - - Repentance
/“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Joel 2:12-13 ESV
Yesterday I had the privilege of hearing seminary student John Nymen preach in Woodstock, NB. It was a blessing to hear him as he preached from this text (and his sermon included verse 14 as well). Nymann quoted Thomas Watson and his work: “Repentance”. Here is what Watson said of repentance:
The two great graces essential to a saint in this life are faith and repentance.
These are the two wings by which he flies to heaven.
Faith and repentance preserve the spiritual life
as heat and radical moisture do the natural.
In order to “rend one’s heart” and turn from sin, one must acknowledge he has sinned. Nymann noted [and I am following my hastily scribbled notes made from his sermon as he was preaching so this is as accurate as I can get it]:
Sin is in us—we are prone to hate God and our neighbour…
all sin is actually against God Himself, our sin goes directly against
the Being of God Himself. He is love. Love is not part of His character,
it is Who He is. When we do not show love, we sin against His very Being.
God is merciful. When we do not show mercy towards another,
we sin against the Person of God.”
It is the Word of God brought to light in our heart and imagination by the Spirit of God which together make us aware of the full extent of our sinfulness. Then, aware of our sin and our guilt before God we turn to Him with unclean hands and heart.
Imagine a little child on the playground. She has been on a swing and suddenly motion sickness grabs hold of her. She falls off the swing hitting her head as she is throwing up. She is covered in blood and her own vomit. She trustingly turns to her mother to make her clean. Our sins are stains grosser and worse than vomit and blood. Yet, God invites anyone who hears this invitation from our text in Joel to turn away from their sins and come to Him, stained and gross as they are. Jesus, Precious Jesus, has the cleansing power to wash away our sins and make us clean within.
How can I be sure God will accept me and not turn away in disgust? Listen to the attributes of God given by God Himself through His prophet Joel:
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love”
Ah, what a glorious God we serve. No only do our sins get acknowledged, but they find a healing remedy in Jesus. As the prophet Isaiah said, “though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow…if you are willing and obedient” (Isaiah 1:18). Willing to acknowledge your sins. Obedient to the invitation of God to turn to Him, hating your sin and desiring to turn from it and follow Jesus.
Thank You, God, for the gift of Your Word. Thank You, that in it, You Who created us, show us how to live so that we can fully live out all that You made us to be: those who glorify God and delight in Him forever. Blessed Jesus, thank You for the cleansing and healing work of the cross—the very place where our sins are punished upon Your Person and Your holy life is credited to our account. Spirit of God, let this be our story and our song—marveling at the new life which is ours in Christ and winging our way to heaven with faith and repentance. Amen.
