A Vehement Desire
Think about this. The Days of Unleavened Bread are all about change. Putting on the new man. Putting sin out of our lives. But let's ask ourselves, how can we change unless we really deeply want to change? If we're unconcerned, if we couldn't care less, if it's not important to us, obviously, there's no way we can really change.
We must desire vehemently to change—to be more like God daily, to emulate Christ's example and His way of life. This has to be a paramount goal in our lives.
Christ tells us in Matthew 5:6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." The implication is that those who do not hunger and thirst for it, won't be filled.
As Newborn Babes
"As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2).
How does a newborn baby desire milk? Every parent knows that when a little baby wakes up, it doesn't just blink its eyes and stretch its arms and yawn two or three times and begin to casually look around the room and patiently wait for Mom to feed it. No, the brain is connected to the stomach without much in between! And as soon as that four hours is up, click, the eyes open and "WAAAAAH!" just like that, the baby immediately, loudly, vociferously wants food. It doesn't gradually begin to cry— it's full force, until finally it's fed.
If we are going to repent and grow spiritually as we must, we have to desire it, we must crave it and want it wholeheartedly and energetically.
Attitude of Repentance
In Psalm 51, the classic chapter concerning the attitude of repentance, David showed the kind of vehement desire we need: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (Psalm 51:1-2).
David cried out vehemently with the utmost sincerity and intensity: "Wash me, cleanse me, scrub me, bathe me, totally and completely—get rid of these evil sins in my life." That's the kind of approach we have to have.
King David was a great sinner, but God used him again. Why? Because he was a great repenter, and his repentance became as notorious as his sin. Psalm 51 shows how his heart was opened and he was filled with the spirit of repentance.
Full Repentance
Some people think repentance is remorse, just being sorry that you committed an infraction of God's standards. Other people think repentance is regret—wishing we hadn't done it. Still others think repentance is reform—in other words, turning over a new leaf. These are all part of the picture, but they are not full repentance.
Repentance means a change of mind. If we've truly changed our mind with vehement desire, our volition—our will—is completely yielded to God's will. And what will happen if our will is changed in that way? Our actions will likewise be changed!
Think about this. The Days of Unleavened Bread are all about change. Putting on the new man. Putting sin out of our lives. But let's ask ourselves, how can we change unless we really deeply want to change? If we're unconcerned, if we couldn't care less, if it's not important to us, obviously, there's no way we can really change.
We must desire vehemently to change—to be more like God daily, to emulate Christ's example and His way of life. This has to be a paramount goal in our lives.
Christ tells us in Matthew 5:6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." The implication is that those who do not hunger and thirst for it, won't be filled.
As Newborn Babes
"As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2).
How does a newborn baby desire milk? Every parent knows that when a little baby wakes up, it doesn't just blink its eyes and stretch its arms and yawn two or three times and begin to casually look around the room and patiently wait for Mom to feed it. No, the brain is connected to the stomach without much in between! And as soon as that four hours is up, click, the eyes open and "WAAAAAH!" just like that, the baby immediately, loudly, vociferously wants food. It doesn't gradually begin to cry— it's full force, until finally it's fed.
If we are going to repent and grow spiritually as we must, we have to desire it, we must crave it and want it wholeheartedly and energetically.
Attitude of Repentance
In Psalm 51, the classic chapter concerning the attitude of repentance, David showed the kind of vehement desire we need: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (Psalm 51:1-2).
David cried out vehemently with the utmost sincerity and intensity: "Wash me, cleanse me, scrub me, bathe me, totally and completely—get rid of these evil sins in my life." That's the kind of approach we have to have.
King David was a great sinner, but God used him again. Why? Because he was a great repenter, and his repentance became as notorious as his sin. Psalm 51 shows how his heart was opened and he was filled with the spirit of repentance.
Full Repentance
Some people think repentance is remorse, just being sorry that you committed an infraction of God's standards. Other people think repentance is regret—wishing we hadn't done it. Still others think repentance is reform—in other words, turning over a new leaf. These are all part of the picture, but they are not full repentance.
Repentance means a change of mind. If we've truly changed our mind with vehement desire, our volition—our will—is completely yielded to God's will. And what will happen if our will is changed in that way? Our actions will likewise be changed!
