Hello Ladies! It’s Roxi and today I would like to talk with you about “Direction-Correction”. When I was in High School I was the forward on my girls basketball team. At one of our home games, I was thrown the basketball by a teammate and I began dribbling down the court, made a lay-up, and was fouled by a girl from the other team. There was only one problem…I made the 2-point lay-up at the other teams basket!! Ultimate humiliation right?!?! Well, there was redemption, since I was fouled while scoring those 2 points for the other team, I “turned around” and got to shoot a free-throw and redeemed 1 of those points I gave the other team. However, from then on, my hallway nickname was – “wrong-way Roxi”!!
So this is little ‘snip-it’ from my past is intended to illustrate “Direction-Correction” found in the God’s Word of the choice we make to turn our lives around….away from sin and our worldly way s and toward Jesus and His ways.
The most common translation of “repent” is “turn” or “return”. Repentance in action means “to turn from evil, and to turn to the good.” More specifically, returning to God, and away from sin. The O.T. prophet Ezekiel emphasized God’s call to the people of Israel by telling them: “Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!” “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses”, “Turn! Turn from your evil ways”.
In the New Testament, the Greek word for repentance is “metanoia” which includes a decision and an emotional response. The decision being a “change of mind” and the emotions being the feeling of “regret or remorse.” In both the gospel of Mark and Matthew Jesus began his public proclamation with the call to “Repent.” In addition, Paul preached to both Jews and Gentiles to “turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.“
True repentance leads a person to say, “I have sinned” and demonstratively prove it with a 180-degree change of direction; in our mindset, our decisions, our behaviors, and our responses to others. Repentance requires true brokenness. Repentance IS NOT asking the Lord for forgiveness with the intent to sin again. Repentance IS an honest, regretful acknowledgement of sin with a personal commitment to change. Acts 3:19 says “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…” He has already paid the price for those prior bad direction choices but he will bring times of refreshing!! Isn’t our Lord Jesus so, so gracious to us?
Just like “wrong-way” Roxi in that high school basketball game who had to make a 180 degree “Direction-Correction” to turn and be redeemed from scoring 2 points for the away team to score 1 point for the ‘home team’, make the choice today to turn away from sin by repenting and turning to Jesus, redeemed by His grace to receive the forgiveness of sins so “whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you [saying]; “This is the way. walk in it!!” Isaiah 30:21 It’s as easy as “A, B, C”….
“Admit” – Jesus, I confess to you that I have sinned
“Believe” – Jesus, I believe that you died and rose again to redeem me from my sins
“Commit” – Jesus, I commit to follow you all the days of my life
