My team rides seven buses all together on an average day of ministry.
seven buses- thats a lot of free time. I spend it a lot of different ways.
Sometimes I just stare out the window;because Guatemala is gorgeous and occasionally it’s good for my brain to just mindlessly stare.
Sometimes I strike up conversation.
Sometimes I take cool pictures of my teammates.
Sometimes I fall asleep. (in really awkward positions because those buses be PACKED my dude.)
On today’s bus ride, I had a brief conversation with my squad leader, Kate.
Kate brought up the topic of repentence and what it actually means. Jokingly, I blurted out with my hands cupped like a megaphone “repent for the kingdom of the Lord is nigh!” Then Kate turned and said “Do you know what that means?” and then I relized, “huh…no. not really.”
She proceeded to explain how repentance is an exchange.
Sometimes, our view of repentance is twisted. The truth is, repentance is less of : “think about all that you’ve done wrong and fix it” and more of: “Turn and take a different path.”
The focus of repentance is change.
Repentance does NOT mean that we ‘have to bow down to God so he can punish us for our sins.’
It DOES mean getting rid of the things that are killing us, and taking up what God has for us instead. It means exchanging our earthly ways and patterns, for kingdom ones.
So then I asked, “what does ‘kingdom’ really mean?” She said, “anything that brings glory to God. Like salvations, or any of the fruits of the spirit.”
Kingdom isn’t just when we get to heaven. It is here and now, which is why we should pray “let your kingdom come.” We bring the kingdom everywhere we go.
I dwelled on this for a while on the bus. The bus was bumping and swaying the whole time and people were everywhere, but that didn’t stop the Holy spirit from speaking something really significant to my heart. He showed me how purely good he is. We have such a good father. He doesn’t force us to bow to him out of spite and anger. He’s not a ruthless or unjust God. It’s not even in his character to force us into relationship with him. Or force us to repent. It wouldn’t make sense because he’s already died for our sins. He took the punishment and bore our wrath for us, so it wouldn’t even make sense for him to make us bare the punishment he already bore. He literally just sees us carrying around all of our earthly desires and things that are hurting us, and with love gently says to us,
“no, no, no. look here, child. Take mine instead. Its so much more life giving!”
And when we take and accept his gift, we find so much freedom! When we surrender, and come under what he has for us, really beautiful and epic things happen.
THAT is true repentance.
It’s beautiful.
He is such a good dad.
Sincerely,
Jules
