Leaning into Repentance

Certain phrases in the Bible absolutely capture my attention and make my heart beat wildly! The latest? 2 Kings 23:25 describing King Josiah’s tender heart and repentant spirit over all the wickedness that had gone before him. “No king before or after repented before the Lord as he did, with his whole heart, soul, and being in accordance with the whole law of Moses” (NET Bible). It reminds me of the famous quote from early church father Tertullian, “I was born for no other reason except to repent.” Both Josiah and Tertullian knew that freedom of heart comes where repentance flows. If this is true, why do we find it so hard to name our sin, declare our guilt, and then wash in the ever-flowing river of grace of Christ?! Jack Miller exhorted us to, “Cheer up: You're a worse sinner than you ever dared imagine, and you're more loved than you ever dared hope.” At the foot of the cross, the good news is really good. Stoop low, repent freely, and find the abundance of grace to needy sinners. That means you – believer. Your hiding, justifying, and deflecting only proves you still have more of the Gospel to lean into … so lean in my friend!