A couple years ago we started daily adding in repentance in our evening family prayer time. It was uncomfortable for a while. Actually, it can still be uncomfortable to verbally acknowledge sin before God and my family, especially if one of my sins that day was against a family member! Repenting each night has helped us all realize that we sin every single day, and usually multiple times a day! We try to be specific and not just general. Jesus knows all about our sin already. It’s to our own benefit to acknowledge it, desire to turn from it and accept the Holy Spirit’s help to replace it with godly thoughts and actions.
Jesus saw all that the Thyatira church had done. He saw
those that were faithful and those living in habitual and destructive sin.
Revelation 2:18-23 18 “To the
angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like
burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and
that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against
you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads
my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of
suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then
all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Jesus gives us opportunity to repent, just as He gave
those in Thyatira time to repent. He lovingly warned them of the specific consequences
if certain individuals refused to repent. His judgment is always perfect and
timely.
Jesus is Omniscient (all-knowing) as he searches our
hearts and minds. What sin does He already know about that you and I need to repent
and turn from? He desires our sincere repentance and offers His help to replace
it with something far more satisfying and rewarding!
