Virtually everybody with something to sell is trying to get you to repent.  They are trying to get you to change your mind about their product so that you will spend your hard earned cash money on their product rather than something else.  The marketing world knows all about repentance.  They know that behavior always follows belief.  They know that core values are built upon beliefs.  We always act on what we believe to be true at any given moment.  If we believe an ice-cold Coca Cola will quench our thirst like nothing else we will buy it and drink it.  (Granted, it may be the only thing available but you get my point.)  The advertizing world wants to change the way we think...that is the concept of repentance.

I think a lot of church people presume that repentance means, "Stop having fun; whatever you are doing that makes you happy should cease, sooner rather than later." Repentance has a negative connotation for many people but it is a wonderful word and a wonderful idea.  Biblical repentance means we align our thinking with God's word and ways.  It means we believe that God loves us, that He is the Life-giver, that Jesus came to give us abundant life and that we can have it now!  Our repentance is not for God's smug satisfaction, it is for our good!  God the Father was satisfied with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  God doesn't need our repentance to be satisfied.  However, if we really want to live the life He intended, we're going to have to change our outlook on many things. 

The messages of John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles could be summarized in that one word..."Repent."  I hope and pray that this Sunday you will see how wonderful a word this really is and that you will be perpetually eager to re-align your thinking with God's word and ways.