Read: Matthew 4:12-17, Luke 15:11-24
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matt. 4:17)
The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which means to change your mind. Lent is a good time to do that. Repentance is closely linked with conversion, which means to turn around. So Jesus begins his ministry by urging us to stop and think. Are my values in line with the kingdom’s? Is God first in my life? Maybe I need to rethink some of my basic assumptions about God and myself.
Lent is also the season when we should check our spiritual compass. Which way am I headed? Am I facing towards God, aiming my life in his direction, or moving away from him? Do I need to turn around? The classic story of conversion in the Bible is Jesus’s parable of the prodigal son. He’s the guy who dissed his father, grabbed his share of the family fortune, and went off to live it up. But one day he woke up in misery and knew he needed to at least try to head back home.
Here’s the thing, though: this is not a one-time deal. If you are at all like me, you need to be converted again and again. Because the prodigal in us doesn’t go away. We’re constantly wandering off into a “far country” (Luke 15:13), places that are a long way away from our heavenly Father. And he is constantly waiting for us to come to our senses and return: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).
As you pray, ask the Father to bring you home when you wander.
About the Author
Rev. David Bast
David Bast is a writer and pastor who served for 23 years as the President and Broadcast Minister for Words of Hope. In his more than 40 years of devotional writing and preaching, he has been encouraging believers around the world to be shaped by God and his Word.
Prior to his ministry and work at Words of Hope, Dave served as a pastor for 18 years in congregations in the Reformed Church in America. A graduate of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, he is the author of nine devotional books and Bible studies, includingWhy Doesn't God Act More Like God,Christ in the Psalms, andA Gospel for the World.
Dave and his wife, Betty Jo, have four children and eight grandchildren. Dave enjoys reading, growing tomatoes, and avidly follows the Detroit Tigers.
