Welcome to Maple Grove serving the Lord since 1875

There is a difference, you know. We all have experienced regret – and we’ve seen ourselves (or others) express simple regret.  How many of you have ever had someone say to you “I’m sorry,” but you know what they meant was “I’m sorry that I got caught”? That’s common with little children, but we all do not outgrow it. Sometimes regret says “I know I made a mistake, but no one is perfect.”  Sometimes regret says “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, but that’s just who I am.”  Sometimes regret says “I am sorry if my words offended anyone,” but has no intent of changing those words.

Have you ever used any of those phrases? Have you ever used them with God? Read Psalm 51:1-4 and compare the attitude of David towards his sin against God with that superficial type of regret:

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.

 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

What David demonstrated was repentance, not simply regret. In the Bible, the word “repent” comes from the Greek word “metanoia,” which means to change your mind, or to turn around. True repentance requires doing what David did – confessing our sins to God and acknowledging our guilt before Him. We must recognize that our sin, just like David’s, was against God. Yes, we may have hurt other people, just as David hurt Bathsheba and Uriah, but we realize that we have sinned against our Creator, our God. It means taking responsibility for our sins.

But it also means that we change not only our mind, but we change our behavior. We no longer excuse our sinful behavior because we realize who it is against. To put it in modern terms, true repentance means we make a U-turn. We used to act like that, now we act like this!

Why is this important? Because one of the very first messages of our Lord Jesus Christ was that we should “repent.”  Not regret only – but “metanoia” – change our minds and turn around from the sinful ways of our old life.

After you receive Christ – and as you continue to mature in Christ – you will continue to repent, and you will learn more about the depths of repentance. But my challenge to you this month is to truly repent of sin. Don’t miss the blessings of God by trying to sweep it under the rug or excuse it. As David also said in Psalm 51:12 – “Restore to me the joy of Your Salvation.” 

David knew that true repentance would bring true joy. Now you do too. What are you prepared to do about it?

Bro. Parks