Road Warriors: John the Baptist—A Message of Repentance - Wednesday
Matthew 3:2
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (NLT)
My wife and I recently drove downtown Lexington to get some gelato from a place called Sorella Gelateria. (If you haven’t been yet, you definitely should because it’s amazing!) As we were on our way back home, we ventured down a one-way street and noticed a driver who was driving the wrong way. There were a few people on the street trying to wave the driver down, some even yelling, “You’re going the wrong way!” I tried to point at the sign that read “ONE WAY” as they drove by, but it didn’t stop them. We hope they ended up okay, but as far as we know, they just kept on going in the wrong direction.
This reminds me of our verse this morning. John the Baptist is simply trying to warn people that they’re going the wrong way, and they should turn around to God. The word “repent” in Greek is metanoeite, which means “to change one’s heart and mind.” In practice, this means to recognize what you are doing is wrong, change direction, and move toward God with the desire to not sin again. So basically, John is telling the people to not only turn away from their sin, but toward God.
I picture John as one of those people standing on the side of the road, trying to wave people down and let them know they are going the wrong way. But he wasn’t a ‘holier than thou’ know-it-all who just wanted to tell everyone what they were doing wrong—in a way, he was showing them great kindness. For not only is he warning them that they’re in danger because they’re going the wrong way, but he is also letting them know the good news that Jesus is near. And the same message still rings true for us today. Jesus is here, and He desires to help you change your heart and your mind.
Wednesday’s Reflection
If there is any area of your life where you have been going the “wrong way,” I encourage you to repent today—turn away from sin and toward the God who loves you. There is no better time than now to turn your life around and give it back to God. Ask that He would convict you in the areas where you are going down the wrong path, and for the strength to turn down the right path toward Him.
