Living a Repentant Life

With no set point on the horizon to determine direction, it’s easy to drift. When travelling we need to set our eyes on the compass.

Mark 1:15

Come to him daily in faith and lay down the areas that are causing you to drift.

If you were to set sail or fly from Brisbane to New Zealand, and you were off by 5 to 8 degrees, over the about 2500km, you could actually miss New Zealand. With no set point on the horizon to determine direction, it’s easy to drift. When traveling we need to set our eyes on the compass.

In organisations we hear the term “mission drift.” A moving away from purpose. That has been the journey for the YMCA. The Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in 1844 with a mission to focus on the spiritual health of young men. The drift over time was to good social works and a loss of Christian intent. The organisation didn’t wake up one day and change direction, rather it slowly lost sight of its anchor, a calling to grow young men of God. It is the same in the church and also our own personal walk with God. When we drift away from Christ, other focuses quickly take His place. Home, work, relationships, health, leisure, children, finance, pleasure, politics, advocacy, and the list goes on. What centres us is repentance.

Often, we think of repentance as that step when we first became a Christian. We turn our life away from sin and to God. We find forgiveness, and trust Jesus with our salvation and lives. But repentance is not just a one-off situation, but a posture of heart, mind and will. Of checking the compass and realigning the course of our lives to Christ. Otherwise, like the YMCA, we can drift away from Christ.

Jesus said to the disciples, “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! “ (Mark 1:15) The meaning of the original language is this—keep on believing and keep on repenting.

In this season of Lent, God is asking you today to keep on believing and keep on repenting. Come to him daily in faith and lay down the areas that are causing you to drift. Turn away from them and surrender to God. Ask for forgiveness and know his embrace. And he will give you courage and strength for the next steps.

God bless.

Pastor Stephen