God Saw

 

You see and care
when I turn

from my
evil ways

laying aside
what I’ve planned

to walk with You
each day.

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You see what I am doing for You are with me.

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“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.”

“Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.”

Jonah 3:8,10 NKJV

Photo credit: Pixabay.com

Storms of Change

 

Turn around
come back to Me

be resurrected and
made new

for each time
you repent

a storm is calmed
inside of you.

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You establish how I can move forward by turning back.

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“The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.’ “

“But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish . . .”

“Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. . .”

“Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.”

“The LORD spoke to Jonah a second time: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.’ “

“This time Jonah obeyed the LORD’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: ‘Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!’ The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and a put on burlap to show their sorrow.”

Jonah 1:1-3,17; 2:10; 3:1-5

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Image from The Greatest Gift, by Ann Voskamp, page 155.

Take Heed

 

Oh Lord
what have we done

as our offenses
clearly stack

stretching
up to the sky

help us repent and
turn us back.

You establish my awareness.

“It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come. Take heed to yourselves.” Luke 17:1,3 NKJV

A Way Out

 

Though destruction
be prophesied against you

it can yet
be changed

if you would
listen to Me

and do what
I say.

You establish a way out for me when I turn to You.

“Repent now everyone of his evil ways and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.” Jeremiah 25:5 NKJV

First Love

 

Remember from where
you’ve fallen

repent and do
your first works

returning to Me
your True Love

the One who knows
your real worth.

Jesus is my established first love.

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place – unless you repent.” Revelation 2:2,3,4,5 NKJV

Taking Heed

“Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; if he repents, forgive him.
And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent’, you shall forgive him.”  Luke 17:3-4 NKJV  

Personally, Jesus is more concerned with my response than another’s sin.

Thank You, Lord, for forgiving me.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Take heed
to yourselves

for surely
there will be

others
sinning against you –

forgive
quickly.

God bless you as you forgive someone today!

So Close

“From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'”  Matthew 4:17

The kingdom of heaven is so beyond anything this world has to offer.

Thank You, Lord, for being just a turn away from us at all times.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Our magnificent God
and His kingdom of heaven

are oh so
very near

waiting to be
revealed to us

as soon as repentance
appears.

God bless you as you turn to Him today!

Another Side of Love

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”  Revelation 3:19 NKJV

I usually look for blessings as a sign of His love.

Thank You, Lord, for loving me through rebuking and chastening.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

I look for Your favor
and blessings
as signs You
love me

but You have made
rebuking and chastening
even more precious
to see.

God bless you as you see how much He loves you today!

Fallen

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place – unless you repent.”  Revelation 2:5  NKJV

Three of the four churches spoken to in Chapter 2 were told to repent.  Only the persecuted church of Smyrna was not.

Thank You, Father, for searching me and giving me the opportunity to repent.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

I see the works
that you’ve done
your love and patience
and your faith

now repent
where you have fallen
have ears to hear
what I say.

God bless you as you hear what He has to say to you today!