I REPENT

Therefore I will judge you, O house
of Israel, every one according to his ways,
saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn

yourselves from all your transgressions;
so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Ezekiel 18:30

It might be easy for us to look back at Israel of the Old Testament days with some criticism. We might feel the spiritual condition of their day was nothing like that of our own. I would say that we are different from their day in that we have fallen just as far into sin as that of Israel. Our country has more advantages when it comes to sinful thinking and activity. With all of that sinful advantage, we Christians don't seem to be making that much of an impact on this society of ours. Why? Because Christian America isn't a repentant nation. God is seeking a people that will turn from its culture of sin and return in repentance to their holy God.

It was my privilege Thursday night to watch the National Prayer Gathering in the US Capitol rotunda led by Anne Graham Lott and the committee that has spearheaded all of the days of prayer activities across the nation. There was music, Scripture reading, praying and comments by Anne as she led those there through a time of self evaluation.

Programs had been given to all who were present. On one panel of the program was a list of sins, personal in nature, that could apply to any and all of us. There was then a section regarding the need for our country to repent of its sins. It was stressed that with the personal sins, one might not think all applied to them, but if read prayerfully a few times, it would begin to dawn on the readers that the sins listed probably applied in entirety to each individual.

I don't have a copy of that program those folks had in hand but most folks who know me, know I have suggested for years a prayerful look at Colossians 3, that I have considered a wonderful chapter in Scripture that can serve as good words for self evaluation before God. It's not a comfortable chapter. There are the “put ons” and “put offs.” However,, there are small sections sufficient for self evaluation before the Lord.

Colossians 3:1 begins with a very foundational verse:

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God.

Perhaps this is a place to repent of our sin. I wonder how long it's been since most of us have really lived life seeking things above...seeking God in everything. I would also note the first word in that verse, IF. Without a true relationship with Jesus, repentance is going to be the furthest thing from an individual's mind.

Looking down the chapter, I see in verse 5 a list of sins that can grossly affect any Christian's body....fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire and covetousness. Perhaps many people in our day have either participated in some of those things in the past without repentance or are currently involved in such without repentance.

Down to verse 8, I see some things that are very convicting for me...anger, wrath (anger in action),malice, blasphemy, filthy communication. Where one of those sins strikes conviction in our hearts, we need to sincerely repent in sorrow before the Lord for those sins.

Verse 9 puts icing on the cake so to speak with an admonition to Christians about lying to each other. Paul was speaking to the saved community of Colossae, thus the Holy Spirit speaks to us as well in our day. Do we speak in truth with others even in general conversation without stretching or elaborating on truth?

When the group in the Capitol Rotunda read through those personal sins and sins of our country listed in their programs, they would say at the end of each, “I repent.” They didn't say, “We repent” because no one individual can repent for anyone else. Again, it's a very personal spiritual event in the heart of an individual Christian.

We all have a desire to see repentance take place in our country...few would deny that. However, we fail to see that such repentance will only happen through individual lives and then as a whole; we will then see a flood of repentance flowing over our sinful and divided nation. We have such a wonderful opportunity in these days with the leadership we have in place in our nation's capitol to see some wonderful things happen that can bring us back to basics. However, government can't order spiritual change. Spiritual repentance and thus revival will only happen one by one...one by one...one by one. Our prayer should be, “Let it begin in me.”

Father, our country is starving for You. However, we got away from You one by one. Change can only come with Your Holy Spirit working in us on an individual basis. May I first turn to You like never before...not looking to my neighbor in the church pew. Bring our country back to Yourself using Your people one by one. In Jesus' precious name...Amen