Repentance

Dedicated to D

"I am happy, because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. I wrote to you (so) that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged." - 2 Cor 7:9-13

""John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." - Acts 19:4

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." - Matt 3:8, 10

Have you ever felt that crushing weight of guilt? When you know you had done wrong to a person and had hurt the person in some way. It doesn't matter how innocuous or minute the action is, or even if the other person knows that you were the one responsible for his/her hurt, God and you know that your action was meant in viciousness and a pound of blood and flesh was what you were going for.

The world rewards hard-heartedness: I've witnessed people who had ruthlessly sacrificed the friends around them to advance in their careers/business/social circles; who for their own gratification secretly two-timed that they don't have to be burdened to one person and his/her imperfections; who for thirty pieces of silver sacrificed the servant king.

I've tried talking with one of them, thinking that there is possibly a ray of hope and was inwardly shocked when the person sincerely responded, "This is purely a business transaction. She should have considered carefully before she committed. What happened with her is not my business."

It often seemed that in this world, repentance is for the weak, for those who can't stand to have others have a bad opinion of themselves, for those who suffer from a masochistic complex.

In this world, you are punished for your repentance. Contrast Germany and Japan in their involvement in WWII and the difference in price they pay because of their (or lack of) repentance. Or perhaps even imagine the (happy?) day if Osama is to surrender for atrocities done during 9/11 because he is repentant for what he has done? The high profile trials it will attract, the humiliation he will be made to go through. Haughty rebellion is in vogue and it makes economic sense. The day I'm in your hands is the day of my downfall. In fact, the higher the price I can exact from you in your pursuit of my justice, the stronger and more powerful I am seen to be.

The world rewards the unrepentant rebel.

It doesn't make sense to repent - to admit you are wrong and turn to what is right, if you are not a Christ follower, does it?

It would only happen the day when we live by the belief that "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." (1 Pet 1:24-25), won't it?

Surely it will only come to the person who "Praise the LORD," who knows that "Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. " (Ps 112:1), shouldn't it?

So though the guilt is great, the worldly returns are unsavoury and great is the worldly reward for the rebel, Jesus' invitation is this, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30)

And you may rejoice even if God chooses to discipline you, for He disciplines you as a Son or Daughter, for the making in the image of Christ Jesus.

And you may then experience what He means when He said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (Matt 5:4-5)