A Repentant Heart

And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredoms, and she was polluted with them. So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then My mind was alienated from her, like as My mind was alienated from her sister.

In this scripture, Yah is referring to Judah when they went astray in serving other gods just as Israel had done. And it's interesting to point out that the LORD's mind was alienated from them when they discovered their whoredoms and their nakedness. In other words, now that they knew they were wrong and aware of their sin, they were distant from the LORD, and it would be so until they repented. This pattern is also seen repeatedly in the stories of Israel when they would go astray and then repent and be restored - this cycle being repeated throughout their history. In the Garden of Eden, when Adam sinned against God's command to not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the first thing that they discovered was their nakedness. They tried to cover it up as best they could, but their covering was not an acceptable remedy to cover their nakedness, for the LORD ended up making a sacrifice and provided them with coats of skins from animals.

The knowledge of our sin is a barrier for us against the LORD. Our sin is not the barrier - but the knowledge of it is what makes us alienated from Him. It's like when He reveals to us a sin that we've committed and we feel 'sickened' or 'distressed' over that sin that we've become aware of; or it could be a short-coming or a failure that we have or that we've done. And it isn't until we confess that sin and bring it under the blood covering of Jesus, and have the right repentant attitude that we are restored to Him. I have heard certain teachings that claim we no longer to ask for forgiveness for our sins, that it is not necessary anymore...and some years ago, I tried NOT to confess my sins to the LORD after I had knowledge of my committing them. And during this couple of days of me not confessing and repenting,I felt like the reins of my heart were being ripped apart and like I was holding my breath for hours on end. The moment finally came when I couldn't take it anymore - I had to confess, put it under the blood of Jesus, and repent - Now I could breathe again...I felt my fellowship restored and my peace come pouring in.

I recently heard a pastor say that our sin is not a problem for God - it's an unrepentant and distant heart that is the problem that keeps us from the LORD.

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

Psalm 32

¹Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

²Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

³When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

⁴For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

⁵I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

⁶For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

⁷Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

⁸I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

⁹Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

¹⁰Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

¹¹Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.