Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today’s re-centering wisdom nuggets were inspired by my wife.

Today’s scripture, Joel 2:12-13 NLT
[12] That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. [13] Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

Consider…
When the Holy Spirit gave me the re-centering theme for the week, I asked Dana what scripture came to mind and her response was today’s verses.

Let’s mine for some wisdom nuggets in the passage.

The first nugget I found is there’s a time sensitivity to repentance. Notice verse 12 says turn while there is time. That suggests we can go the wrong way too long until it’s too late. Realizing that makes me hear Jonathan Traylor singing…

I be tryna make it into Heaven though
But you be tryna knock me off my course though
Voices in my head screaming YOLO (yeah)
But you only die once too

My flesh be like I’m gonna do what I wanna do
But once this life is over, there ain’t no re-dos
Either go up or to your eternal tomb
You either go up or to your eternal doom

It’s important to know that today’s scripture, like much of the Bible, is written to God’s chosen people. That means He’s telling those He has a relationship with to turn back to Him while there’s still time.

It’s tempting, and easy to make what God says applicable to others, but the reality is it was written for us.

The Holy Spirit referenced 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) to emphasize that truth…
[16] All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. [17] God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Accordingly, when God raises the issue of time sensitive repentance, He is telling us, His wayward children, to turn around now!

Remember the story of the prodigal son? It was the father’s son who left. That shows us God’s children can leave His provision and protection, albeit never His omnipresence. As we know he eventually returned after realizing how hard and harsh life is away from his father.

That parable, like today’s scripture tells us that God knows His children will get of track, but when He shows us that we are, He wants us to immediately come back to Him.

Moreover, God wants us to stay on course everyday.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT) exhorts…
[15] So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. [16] Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. [17] Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Those verses emphasize God doesn’t want us to just obey Him once and awhile, but to make obedience our lifestyle.

A few years ago there was a popular Christian mantra, What Would Jesus Do, that same governing question is still applicable today.

That truth is underscored with the exhortation of Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)…
[5] You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. [6] Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

And the Holy Spirit added that Romans 8:29 (NLT) points out
it’s our Heavenly Father’s expectation for us to be like our big brother Jesus…
[29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

I think sometimes we underappreciate God’s Father and obedient child relationship that He wants us to live by.

1 Peter 1:14-16 (NLT) declares…
[14] So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. [15] But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. [16] For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Accordingly, let’s commit to living obedient lives for our Heavenly Father, and as soon we know that we’ve stray, stop, turn and obey right away.

The second nugget that the Holy Spirit wants me to mine today is that repentance is Godly sorrow. That means, actions speak louder than words. Telling someone your sorry, while continuing the behavior is lying.

This makes me think of two my dearest friends favorite scripture, 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)…
[14] Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

The Holy Spirit showed me this verse outlines true repentance…

• FIRST, Humble ourselves before God
• THEN, Pray to Him
• THEN, Seek reaching Him

This bullet gets overlooked, but it’s vital to true repentance. The seeking element speaks to setting reaching God as our goal. Remember the prodigal son, he made reaching his daddy, rather than pleasing himself, his new goal. The same is true for us, until we make pleasing God, rather than appeasing Him for our benefit, we can’t and won’t truly repent. So don’t forget to seek reaching God in your repentance.

• THEN Turn from our sin

Notice repentance focuses on prioritizing God in the first three steps of…

• Humble
• Pray
• Seek

It’s only after we make God our priority that we are compelled to TURN from displeasing Him.

James 4:7-10 (NLT) provides another example of how prioritizing God leads to His acceptance and approval of our repentance…
[7] So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. [9] Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Accordingly, don’t settle for telling God you’re sorry, show Him that He’s once again your priority.

The last wisdom nugget from today’s scripture is embrace who God is. I like today’s passage ending, which says God is…

• Merciful and compassionate
• Slow to get angry
• Filled with unfailing love.
• Eager to relent and not punish.

As an earthly Dad, I totally get these characteristics of our Heavenly Father. I always wanted to…

• Give my children the benefit of the doubt
• Give my children time to get it right
• Love my children unconditionally
• Bless, rather than punish my children

The major difference between our Heavenly Father and me is I was limited and flawed, whereas He’s limitless and flawlessly faithful.

Writing that brought Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:11 (NLT) to mind…
[11] So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

I think so much emphasis is put on a punitive father that we miss the truth that He’s a Good Father. We would do well to remember why we seek and obey our Heavenly Father. Chris Tomlin summarizes…

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You’re perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

This sentiment reminds me of my children. I remember people threatening my children with telling their dad on them, or worse taking them to him. But it blessed my heart that my baby girl welcomed the possibilities of making her daddy aware of what’s going on or being taken to him. It blessed me because it said she believed that she had a good and loving father, regardless of what she’d done.

I think that’s how our Heavenly Father wants us to feel about Him, not afraid but excited for Him to be aware of us and desire to be with Him. God wants us to obey Him because we see Him as loving and good, not because we see Him as punitive and are afraid of His consequences.

So today, let’s focus on re-centering by repenting…

• Timely, as soon as we know we’ve sinned
• Sincerely, with our actions and words aligned, prioritizing reaching God.
• Appreciatively, eagerly embracing Who God is, which is a Good Good Father

Funny, the Holy Spirit just showed me that we can pre-check our forgiveness from God by showing our T.S.A. repentance from sin.

Today’s song is…
Clean Hands

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)