Revelation 3:19-20 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me.
The process of repentance involves receiving correction from the Lord. The purpose of His discipline is not to humiliate us, but to humble us and to make us look and act more like Him. The Father wants kids that reflect His heart and nature.
Our sin separates us from Him. His discipline gives us an opportunity to repent so that we can be reunited with Him. Why does God discipline us and require repentance? Because He wants to be close to us. His love and correction come knocking on the door of our lives, and when we open to Him, He shares His heart, restores our soul, and helps us to look more like Him.
Tonight, our fast culminates in our repentance service at 6:30pm. It will be a time of confessing and repenting from our sin. This is a necessary step in healing (2 Chronicles 7:14) and drawing near (James 4:8).
These past three days, God has been identifying sin and iniquity in our lives, the flesh has come to the surface and gotten louder, and we have continually brought our cares and failures to the foot of the cross. Now, we are asking Him to cleanse us and heal us so that we may be closer to Him and be more like Him. Revival starts with repentance.
Prayer:
Lord, I love You. Thank You for today. You see my sin and weakness. Have mercy on me, God. Cleanse me from my sin. Restore my joy and fill me with Your Spirit. Strengthen me and restore my soul. Take out my hard heart and give me a sensitive heart. Help me to obey You and to want to do Your will. Teach me to fear You that I may know and love You and follow and obey You all the days of my life.
Visit Your people, once again. Have mercy on us. Restore and revive us again for the sake of Your name. Refine us that we may see and reflect Your glory. Glorify Your name in our midst. Draw near to us. We need You, Jesus. Amen.