What think ye of Christ, former procrastinators? On Sunday we celebrated His resurrection. Today, what difference does it make? What difference does He make?
The truth expressed in John Newton’s poem (What Think Ye of Christ? April 10, 2017) impels me to repent.
If I believe that Jesus Christ is God and that His blood makes me clean before the Holy Father, if I rest in the confidence that what Jesus has done for me completely solves my problem of how to get to heaven for eternity, then I can relax in Him. It is “relaxing in awe.” It is “rest by holy decree.” There is nothing else to do. My heart is filled with gratitude, peace, and joy.
Therefore, BECAUSE of what HE has done for me, BECAUSE I am accepted in the Beloved, I want to turn and follow Him. To turn and go the other way is to repent. His goodness to me generates that response. I first repent of thinking I could gain heaven by pleasing God in any way.
Our pastor has said we need to live a lifestyle of repentance. That is certainly true of me regarding procrastination. With confidence in God’s guidance and strength, with confidence in victory, I repent.
… I repent of defaulting to procrastination. I turn to doing what needs doing when it needs doing.
‚Ķ I repent of valuing my comfort in the moment over God’s heart and will. I turn to valuing most what His heart wants.
‚Ķ I repent of viewing procrastination as minor. I turn to recognize slothfulness is sin that prevents godly fruit in my life and affects the building of God’s kingdom.
… I repent of selecting some ways I will change and resisting others. I turn to submit to His conforming work in me in every way He chooses.
… I repent of expecting to be tolerated in my slothfulness. I turn to regarding God and others as higher than myself.
… I repent of enabling sin. I turn to enable freedom and righteousness.
‚Ķ I repent of wishing I could “work in” priorities. I turn to following routines that focus on priorities.
‚Ķ I repent of habits that make it hard for me to obey the Lord’s prompting. I turn to new habits that enable me to be faithful.
… I repent of holding onto excess material goods. I turn to trusting God for what I need and joy in sharing and availability.
… I repent of choosing to stay stuck in need. I turn to getting help.
‚Ķ I repent of submitting to Satan’s “thrall” or power as the poem said. I turn to the Holy Spirit to fill and control me with His power.
The truth of who Jesus Christ is propels me to turn from my own bent to following Him. That truth is the ultimate “action trigger” for our thinking, feeling, and behavior.
In what area does He prompt you to repent?
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