"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near: repent and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15
We have a SPPA (His Word For Today) booklet at home. I advise everyone to read their content (it's in French!) in addition to your personal Bible reading because it is very edifying.
Early in the morning, woken up by noisy neighbors, I came across the page of the day.
This is what God wanted to tell me, from the early hours of the day. "Repent and believe the gospel." Simple and efficient. I thought then for a moment, "but Lord I already know that." But as the day went on, I made the connection to everything that is going on in my life right now. And also this sort of "reformation" that God wants me to have in my life. I know there is no fortuity with God.
So follows a meditation on the term "repentance". My heart tends to forget that repentance is a real change in behavior, even though I have heard it hundreds of times. Repentance is an active process. Not just words. Not just saying to the Lord "I have sinned again, I won't do it again", not to shed a few crocodile tears and then relapse again. Abusing of the grace of God.
Repentance is putting to death the desires of my flesh. It is to put to death my inclinations to doubt God, the inclinations to look to myself. Repentance really is killing, every second, the habits of my past life. Fighting to blood when temptation arrives, saying "no" to the slightest dark thought, at the slightest hint of lust.
("Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death." - James 1:14-15).
And all this is really possible thanks to the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to us! This is possible because God himself said that He fights for us if only we trust Him. To experience the power of God in us in the face of sin is something that I truly wish for everyone. It is an experience that teaches humility, that is deeply reassuring, that reminds us that we are never alone and that God indeed always prepares a way out of us in the face of temptation. (1 Cor. 10.13)
So you, that part of me that tries to pull me down. You who pushes me to impurity. You who wants me to give up for good. You who do not want for anything in the world to put yourself in danger to serve the Savior and others: Today I will kill you, tomorrow too. And again after ...
In Christ,
Ziona
This is very inspiring and refreshing to read!