Peterson: saying yes to God

Wednesday, March 5, 2014
    Ash Wednesday
Meditation:
    Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
    —Acts 2:38 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The usual biblical word describing the “no” we say to the world’s lies and the yes we say to God’s truth is repentance...
    Repentance is not an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It is a decision. It is deciding that you have been wrong in supposing that you could manage your own life and be your own god; it is deciding that you were wrong in thinking that you had, or could get, the strength, education and training to make it on your own; it is deciding that you have been told a pack of lies about yourself and your neighbor and your world. And it is deciding that God in Jesus Christ is telling you the truth.
    ... Eugene H. Peterson (b. 1932), A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, InterVarsity Press, 2000, p. 29-30 (see the book)
    See also Acts 2:38; Isa. 45:22; Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 6:19-21; Acts 20:21; 2 Cor. 5:17; 7:10; Col. 3:2; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; Heb. 12:1-2; Rev. 3:19
Quiet time reflection:
    Am I resisting repentance in some area of my life? CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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