Repentance, Rest, and Renewal
Here is a part of yesterday’s Oswald:
"The entrance into the kingdom of God is through the sharp, sudden pains of repentance colliding with man's respectable 'goodness.' Then the Holy Spirit, who produces these struggles, begins the formation of the Son of God in the person's life (Gal. 4:19). This new life will reveal itself in conscious repentance followed by unconscious holiness, never the other way around. The foundation of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a person cannot repent when he chooses—repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for 'the gift of tears.' If you ever cease to understand the value of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if you have forgotten how to be truly repentant."
Soooo… is this the answer to my prayer from the Holy Spirit? Am I truly repenting, or am I just “sorry” for what I’ve done? Holy Spirit, please help me to examine myself and teach me what it means to truly repent.
Then, in my study this morning, I came across this verse:
Isaiah 30:15 – “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’”
Not only am I wondering about repentance, but resting is always very difficult for me! And yet both are clearly so important to the Lord. I pray that I can learn how to walk in them both soon.
On Friday night we had dinner at S and S’s house with two other couples. It was such a good evening of fellowship and catching up. Toward the end of the night, S shared that they had an agenda for gathering us—they wanted to go deeper in studying the Holy Spirit. They asked NL if he would lead a study, and he said he had already been feeling led in that direction! Their invitation was a confirmation for him. We’re starting this coming Friday night, and then we’ll find a regular time that works for everyone. I’m so excited about this. We just happened to be there when the invitation came, but I believe it was all part of God’s plan.
Saturday night was the Kingdom Growth Guide at A and CB’s house. It was a small group—just five of us—but so rich. Each of us had the chance to share and dig deep. While Tom was reading from the guide, the question came up about the Tree of Life. Suddenly it struck me: what if Jesus Himself is the Tree of Life? He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the living water. The bread of life. There are so many scriptures pointing to Him as life itself. He was hung on a tree, and when we eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, we receive eternal life. I don’t know the full answer, but it’s such an interesting thought.
On Sunday morning, Tom and I went for a drive and had a really good talk. Just having that intentional time together made me feel connected again. It amazes me how you can be in the same room with someone all the time, yet without sharing deep thoughts and feelings, distance creeps in.
I’ve also started going through the Bible in a year again, this time in chronological order. Between that, my study, and my personal reading, I feel like I can’t get enough of the Word.
Today I got an email from T—she needs us from December 24–28. Praise God, we’ll be able to do it! That means we’ll only have two houses at once, which is definitely manageable.
And finally, here’s another prayer from The Power of a Praying Wife that I’m holding onto today:
Lord, I pray that the commitment my husband and I have to You and to one another will grow stronger and more passionate every day. Enable him to be the head of the home as You designed, and show me how to support and respect him in that place of leadership. Reveal to me what he wants and needs, and show me potential problems before they arise. Breathe Your life into our marriage. Make me a new person, Lord—give me a fresh perspective, a positive outlook, and a renewed relationship with the man You’ve given me. Help me to see him with new eyes, new appreciation, new love, new compassion, and new acceptance. Give my husband a new wife, and let it be me.
Matthew 7:7–8 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
