Wednesday, 23 August 2017

Repentence

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Repentance - coming from the root verb shuv, to turn or return, the Hebrew word t'shuvah means a lot more than just saying sorry. Picture a life without G-d as walking away from Him, with your back turned to Him; t'shuvah is making a 180 degree turn and walking in the opposite direction, facing Him, towards Him. So it's not just stopping some of our bad habits and putting our lives on hold so that they don't get any worse.

Returning to G-d is exactly that: moving towards Him, spending time with Him, talking to Him and reading His word, eliminating those things is our lives that are bad for us and offend Him - including people, places, habits and possessions, whatever, as He requires - and becoming more like Yeshua.

During the month of Elul, leading up to the High Holy Days, we hear the shofar being blow each day as a reminder that we are in a season of repentance; we are preparing for judgement which, for us as believers, must mean the return of Yeshua. Repentance doesn't come easy, which is why we pray for G-d to give us a spirit or gift of repentance in the Amidah three times each day.

As the Scriptures say: "Humble yourself in the sight of the L-rd and He will lift you up" (James 4:10).