Recently as I was researching the comments of Jewish rabbis on the biblical book of Genesis I came across a treatise on what one of them called,”The power of return”. His thesis was that God places a high value on repentance. His grace is catalyzed by the sinner who confesses and then turns his back on his sinful behaviour and turns back to God. The rabbi stressed that the Lord loves to forgive. Indeed He finds repentance irresistible.
Our challenge with repentance is that our pride is offended not only by admitting we’re in the wrong but by the humility that it requires. We don’t like being a supplicant. We don’t want to be seen as needy.
So we continue infected with the toxicity of sin rather than the healing of forgiveness. Better to be in control than at the mercy of our creator no?
This is why so many of us walk with a limp. We put a good face on it but we’re carrying a crushing load.
I remember a little gospel song we used to sing at church when I was a kid,”Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there”. Sounds simplistic but it is profound. Jesus said, “Him who the son sets free is free indeed”. Millions of supplicants over the centuries have found this to be true. Repentance is the open door to freedom. Indeed there is “power in return”.
