Repentance: Part 2

Continued from yesterday's post....

So far, out of our six ingredients of genuine repentance (check yesterday's post), we've looked at "sight of sin." We become aware of our sin through the knowledge of God's Law. This knowledge that shows us how we truly are in the sight of God, naturally (or maybe I should say, graciously) leads us into our next study: sorrow for sin.

There are many different sorrows, but only one that leads to godliness: Christ and Him crucified. The sight of Jesus hanging on the cross, on behalf of filthy sinners like us, is truly awakening. The cost of our redemption was paid with His precious blood... and that is a very great price.

Oh that we would weep for our vileness. How great a God to send His Son to die for the ungodly? While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Do you get that? Does that seep into your soul and drive you to tears? It should! We should spend our lives in great weeping! But the amazing thing, is that He has forgiven us and accepted us. Not because of anything we could do, but because of everything He did for us! Shouldn't this drive us to the cross? Shouldn't our hearts break when we see that every single little sin, as small as we might think it is, is a sin that was nailed to the flesh of Christ?

I have never wept like I wept a couple of weeks ago. I didn't think I could contain myself. What a gift from God to see our sins, to give us the knowledge of who we really are, and also, to have great sorrow because of it. Like Christian from the Pilgrim's Progress, we use to carry a great burden, but at the cross, Christ invites us to take it off! Sin is no longer our master, instead, it is Christ! But only from great sorrow, do we see Christ's love more vividly. Just as faith is a gift from God, so is sorrow. The next time the Lord drives you to tears, then let them flow! It is a gift from Him. Remember, this life is a paradox. The way up is the way down. It is only out of great sorrow, that He lifts us up to see His brilliant, shining face!

Psalm 56:8: You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?