The road that I live on is the perfect country road for walking. From my house to my oldest son’s is one and a half miles of beautiful rolling hills and scenic pastures. Walking there and back is nearly perfect to practice for a 5K.
I rarely walk that far, though. Exactly one mile from home is my turning around spot. There is a wooden fence that meanders through the low pastures on both sides, and then the road begins its upward elevation until it reaches its highest point.
I follow the road until I reach this point. It is the one mile mark. I’m always tempted to walk further, but then reason sets in. The further I walk, the greater the distance will be to get back home.
A peculiar thing happens as I approach my turning around place. I begin to think how I am going to do it. I’m on a public road, so cars come by every so often. The people who live in the house I’m approaching can also see me if they are outside or looking out a window.
Am I going to walk to the driveway at the top of the hill and sit on the concrete bench for a minute, and then begin my walk back home? Am I going to casually look at the wildflowers on the side of the road, and then turn around? Am I going to bend down and pretend to tie my shoe? Or will I simply turn in an immediate about face and head in the other direction?
It’s funny that I’m more concerned about how I will be perceived to look when I turn around, rather than simply turning around so that I can get home.
Repentance is like this. The word actually means to turn around, or turn away from. At different times in our lives, we find ourselves walking away from our spiritual home. Away from our relationship with God and His people.
The best thing to do would be to simply turn around and go back the way we came. Instead, we spend valuable time and energy being concerned with how we will be perceived as we turn around. Unfortunately, the further we walk in the wrong direction, the longer it will take to get home.
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
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