Sorry
May 27, 2001
Dear Friends,
Every parent has probably done this. You see your children do something they shouldn't to someone else. You tell them to say they are sorry. Under duress, they halfheartedly mumbled something to the effect they are sorry. We do this all too often with our girls. "Tell your sister you're sorry."
Let's face it, the world is full of insincere apologies. Many business word processing programs have templates for apology letters. Simply fill in the blanks with the appropriate information and – blah, blah, blah – you have made an apology.
I never really gave it much thought, but we are probably giving our children a poor lesson in repentance. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, the Greek word normally translated in some form of repent or repentance means a change of mind such as to produce remorse on account of sin.
When I make my children profess their regret, they neither have a change of heart nor a sense of regret. The only thing they typically regret is that I made them say they were sorry. They are probably being taught that saying sorry is enough when in fact, many times, saying sorry isn't enough.
When we come to God in prayer and say that we are sorry, that is to ask for forgiveness, it has to be more. We must couple a deep sense of regret with a change of heart and action. Insincerity buys us nothing. The words fall flat on the One who "is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
When David prayed for forgiveness for his sin with Bathsheba as recorded in Psalm 51, he did not minimize his sin. David said "I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me." Out of his own mouth, he had pronounced his judgment – "As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die." (2 Sam. 12:5) There was no defense to be made. There was no dismissing the accused on circumstantial evidence. There were no mitigating circumstances whatsoever. The only thing to do was to change his ways and to throw himself on the mercy of the court. The most wonderful thing is that it works. God does forgive.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (Ps. 51:1,2)
If human beings are to forgive seventy-seven times (or as other translators have it – 490 times), imagine how much God's capacity to forgive must be. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8,9)
I hope you liked this Thought For the Week. If you didn't, well…."sorry."
Have a great week!
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