The life of the believer in Christ is a life of repentance. Look at Manasseh, the king of Israel. When we start reading his story we see him as quite a failure. He is faithless, pursues idolatry, even sacrifices his children to false gods. Quite a leader! I found myself thinking his life story would end in his arrest, captivity, and some sort of vile death. But God, who is rich in mercy, had a different plan. He brought Manasseh to repentance. He heard Manasseh's prayer. He granted him forgiveness and used him as a channel for God's blessing to be poured out on many.
Do we live a life of repentance? Do we know that God is near and ready to hear our prayer? Do we realize that God has made an approach to him ready in Christ as revealed in Word and Sacraments? Do we see that our Lord will enable his people to "walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith" as we are told in Colossians 2.6-7? Doubtless we forget often. There's yet another thing about which we can repent.
Thanks be to the Lord who hears our cries, grants us repentance, and pours his forgiveness out upon us.
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