Perceive, Fathom, and Repent

It was last week when I was driving back home from church and was having a casual conversation with the Holy Spirit. Our discussions are usually in disarray… they start with me seeing a road sign [ like a yield sign] and escalate to a chat about yielding to repentance. It is beautiful, don't you think? That, we can converse with divinity in a chaotic, most scatterbrained way and He will still drop some gems in our hearts. My brain moves as fast as light permeating darkness… as I try and indulge my thoughts on one concept, several others are already making their way into my brain. And this time, a cogitation of the idea of repentance brings us to this blog post.  

Hi Kind Stranger, 

While driving and sharing thoughts with the Wise Counselor, I pondered the concept, context, and content of repentance. The story of David and Uriah is one that has too many nuggets…or should I say hot wings? haha. Anyway, it was from this same story that I wrote and shared what I learned about fasting… a practice that I actually started adopting. I fast every Monday, not for anything specific but for strength to keep getting up and worshipping the Lord… if you're confused, then read my blog on that here. 

In 2 Samuel 12, the NLT version titles the scene as “Nathan rebukes David," and having read the previous chapter (11), you will notice that David yielded to temptation and used his authority to call for Uriah's wife (Bathsheba) and slept with her. As though that was not Jerry Springer enough, he conspired for Uriah to be killed in the war so that he may marry Bathsheba. 

In chapter 12, the scene rolls curtains for Nathan to enter, having tossed and turned at night because of the message that the Lord had given him to give to King David; he starts the conversation with a hypothetical scenario in order to evaluate David's stance on the matter. David was passionate about the story narrated by Nathan; that of a rich man taking advantage of a poor man’s only possession. In this instance, Nathan expressed that the diegesis was a mirror of what David had done to Uriah. 

It is interesting to note that King David was a man of integrity however, passion, determination, and ambition led him to sin. The same good qualities that made him a good king were corrupted and turned him into a lousy king (and child of God). What is even more interesting to me is that he hadn't fathomed, not even in the slightest, that what he had done to Uriah and Bathsheba was shameful and sinful. He is a keeper of God's law and delights his soul in the Lord but missed the realisation of his sin. Lights were off; he was oblivious to the nature and definition of his actions. It took a prophet for David’s mind to be enlightened and his eyes to open to the truth of his impurity. 2 Samuel 12:13 “Then David confessed to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied, ‘Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin’”. This story shows me how we can love God with everything in us and still be oblivious to the sins in our lives. David then wrote the famous Psalm of repentance, Psalm 51. 

Psalm 51:3 NLT: “For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.”

Repentance comes as a result of realisation. Repentance comes after we have perceived, realised and fathomed our impurity. And maybe that is why we don’t talk about repentance anymore… because everyone thinks they are right about everything. We are often not teachable and, even more so, not humble enough to consider that we could be in the wrong. Repentance requires an open mind, one that welcomes the possibility of being erroneous. Repentance requires humility, a heart that knows it once fell in the garden of Eden. 

And here is your freedom, my kind stranger; 

You have A Right To Be Wrong. You Have A Right To Repent. 

Merciful God, help us to see so that we can repent.