Day 278 - Do we have Tears of Repentance?

Today's Reading: Jer. 3-4 and John 2

Over and over in today's reading, I see the Lord crying, "Return oh backsliding Israel... return and I will have mercy upon you. Just acknowledge your iniquity..."

God says, because of your sins, "therefore the showers have been held back and there has been no latter rain" for the harvest.

It's interesting that in old times, a punishment for sin was lack of physical rain. Today we experience droughts as well, but how much more do we experience a drought of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit will not be poured out on a people that are stubbornly walking their own way. We need to pray for true repentance and change of heart in our church. First and foremost we need to pray this for our own selves.

Ellen White writes in the following paragraphs about true repentance:

"We often sorrow because our evil deeds bring unpleasant consequences to ourselves; but this is not repentance. Real sorrow for sin is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reveals the ingratitude of the heart that has slighted and grieved the Saviour, and brings us in contrition to the foot of the cross. By every sin Jesus is wounded afresh; and as we look upon Him whom we have pierced, we mourn for the sins that have brought anguish upon Him. Such mourning will lead to the renunciation of sin.  

The worldling may pronounce this sorrow a weakness; but it is the strength which binds the penitent to the Infinite One with links that cannot be broken. It shows that the angels of God are bringing back to the soul the graces that were lost through hardness of heart and transgression. The tears of the penitent are only the raindrops that precede the sunshine of holiness. This sorrow heralds a joy which will be a living fountain in the soul. “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God;” “and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 3:13, 12. “Unto them that mourn in Zion,” He has appointed to give “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Isaiah 61:3. (DA 300)

Beautiful! Love that thought... "The tears of the penitent are only the raindrops that precede the sunshine of holiness."

Tomorrow's Reading: Jer. 5-6 and John 3