Turning Back to God (on Repentance)

​by: Carol Donaal

In the Scriptures, we can read that God is calling all men and women to return to Him as early as in the days of old. He is summoning every one of us to return to Him and consequently, He will return to us. Commentaries say that this is more of an encouragement rather than a command. However, history tells us that the result is not praiseworthy. Only few were fully sincere in their desire to serve God, thus, the need to remind the people to repent of their sins with all their heart and mind.
 
Such past response to God’s call for repentance looks surprising because “God returning to us” is a great privilege in itself. There is only the need to comply with His condition – to return to Him first. In our days, we should be grateful. Giving us the opportunity to go back to our original state of a blessed life is something that should not be taken for granted.
 
Looking into the nature of repentance, it is more than an outward remorseful act. Instead, it is the conscious willingness decision of both the heart and mind to start anew with the God whom we love and serve. It is allowing the Lord to help us be free from our sins and finally making restitution to the wrongs committed.
 
A. W. Tozer, a spiritual mentor, said that “repentance is a gateway into God and into His heart”. We should therefore enter into that gate that we can have complete recovery. At the end of the day, it is all for our own sake.
 
The following are among the reasons why repentance is a must:
 
a. It will save us from the penalty of sin, thereby, keeping us away from troubles;
 
b. It will restore us back to a life of abundance, protection, and favor;
 
c. It will lead us towards the fulfillment of God’s promises in our lives.
 
It is notable that Jesus laid down His life for us so that we can totally go back to His original design. It shows how much He is interested in redeeming us and made our reparation much easier. We need not to flagellate ourselves. Ganelyn Condie, a motivational speaker quoted “Repentance is not a whip we use to beat ourselves up with – it is a loving reunion back to God.”
 
God indeed cares. We should be inspired to humble ourselves before Him, recognize our shortcomings, that we will not be judged. We also need to acknowledge the fact that our repentance has a great impact for the salvation of many. It is not only for our personal salvation but for the healing of our land. It bears repeating to state God’s promise: “If My people will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and heal their land”.
 
We should therefore choose to go back to God by having a genuine repentance. It is a total turn around where the old has gone and the new has become. The benefits are beyond words can express. This is the time to respond to His invitation. If we hear His voice, let us not harden our hearts. Today is the day of salvation.