Turn

March 9, 2020

Lent 2020

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“Repent, the kingdom of God is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

A few years ago, our family traveled west and visited Wind Cave, a huge cave complex beneath the South Dakota prairie. From sun and warmth, the park ranger led us through a door in a hill to descend deep into a labyrinth of rock passages and chambers with crevasses and dead ends. After 20 minutes of hiking, our guide stopped us and turned off the lights. We froze. With no light, there was no way back home.

The Bible says our sinful condition is like this. We are lost in the dark, far from our home with our Heavenly Father. We cannot restore ourselves. Israel, chosen among the nations, was a case in point. But God had a plan. The prophet, Isaiah, told of a light that would come to those living in darkness. Matthew reveals that Jesus fulfills these words as He begins to preach, and His earthly ministry starts with a call to turn from sin. “Repent, the kingdom of God is near” (Matthew 4:17). The way home—the way out of darkness—is to turn to Jesus and His rule: to love Him and to love your neighbor.

As God does His restoring work in me, I’ve found this turning must be done daily or hourly, sometimes easily, sometimes not. This last week, my will to keep my plans and prove my own rightness has battled against a call to extend love and grace to my neighbor. I cannot say that love for my neighbor erupted in my heart and won the day, but I can say that love and trust of our King did. I turn to Him because His ways are good, His Kingdom is good and He loves me. Praise the Light of the World, who leads us out of darkness back to our home with Him!

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