As we enter fall 2024 I have sensed the Lord inviting our church to a season of personal and corporate repentance. The flavor of repentance is less a scolding from God and more an invitation into his goodness. A.W. Tozer said, “God waits to be wanted.” In 2 Chronicles 16:9 we read “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that he may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

WOW! Yes, here we have a true invitation into something wonderful. But to be completely his, we must be completely his, and repentance from our sin, compromise, and half-hearted faith is a pathway to get there. We are not initiating anything with God – rather, we are simply responding to his invitation. It is not a new welcome, but an ancient one, yet today I feel compelled to wade deep into these waters and see what we might find. The Lord is good, his love endures forever; it is kindness that leads us to repentance, and grace and beauty are always the fruit of contrition.

In my quiet time recently I meditated on a passage that we might relate to; it is found in 2 Chronicles chapter 23 and forward. In a tumultuous time in the history of Israel, Jehoiada the priest goes against the flow of false religion and debauchery all around him and becomes the catalyst for revival under the reign of King Joash. I see six elements of that revival; they are:

One, we remove the evil among us. The first act in getting right with God was to remove an evil queen from her place of rulership. In our lives today there are kings and queens, spiritual forces, that exert influence over us and stifle the work of God. This might be a habit, a person, or a bent to laziness and apathy.

Two, we draw near to God. Jehoiada made worship, offering and singing priorities again among God’s people. The simple and lost things of the faith had been neglected, but were reestablished. We must not neglect or be led away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. Passion for Jesus will conquer a thousand lesser evils; demons do not want to be near him, so if we are, they will flee.

Three, we guard any potential in-roads of sin and compromise in our lives. Again in our story, the priest stationed gatekeepers at the house of the Lord that nothing unclean should enter. In like manner we must be on the alert against anything that would come into our spiritual house, both our soul and our church, and bring corruption. We must be wise and shrewd in this; we cannot glibly entertain sin.

Four, we place great value in mentors. The Scripture is very clear that young Joash’s success was due to the influence of Jehoiada. For us today this means that we are willing to find and follow the examples of godly men and women around us. We must embrace accountability and take our discipleship seriously. We must be open to correction and be humble and teachable.

Five, we are committed to community. King Joash took great pains to restore the house of the Lord. The physical and spiritual dwelling place had been neglected for a long time, and he set his heart to make it central once again. In modern times the value of church and gathering is regarded as optional; meeting for worship and teaching is flippantly disregarded by many supposed Christians. We must recover and prize the sacred privilege of gathering and meeting together in the name of Jesus.

Six, we must stay humble and remember our roots. Sadly, the story of Joash ends on a tragic note. After seeing the great works of God as described above, in due time he became complacent and his zeal for the things of God waned. We are all susceptible to this. I know of Christians who were once red-hot, it seemed, for Jesus, but now are only nominal believers, stained with the world and far from the faith. May God keep us humble and restore us from our lukewarmness.

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As we enter a season of repentance may we consider these things. Here is my prayer for our church:

Father, you have been so good to us and you are doing so many wonderful things among us in this season. You have brought about such healing and refreshing in the last years since the wars we have fought through great attacks, the pandemic, and the subsequent rebuilding of our faith family. Now we ask for a spirit of repentance and refreshing to come upon us. Show us your kindness that we may respond. Shine the light of the Spirit among us powerfully but gently, search us, and bring us into the light. In the aftermath may Jesus alone be seen. For your glory, we surrender to you and invite you to bring your kingdom upon us and show us your wonders and beauty again. Restore our first love and burn among us as never before. May it be in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit, amen!!!