Kedo Peseyie
Matt. 3: 8. “Produce fruits in keeping with repentance”.
This article about prayer and repentance was published in a shorter version and in another title last year. But today being the global day of prayer, Nagas in all places will be gathering yet again to pray for the things we have always prayed for, and confess the sins we have been confessing for so long. What difference will it make? Ah! I don’t know. I don’t mean I doubt this weapon of prayer. But any weapon, no matter how powerful, depends a lot on the way it is used. And being the cynical person that I am, I am often critical of the way prayer is often used to replace work, or to elude facing the truth and reality of the situation. I am afraid some in the church and elsewhere even used it as a “feel-good” factor.
People often say that they see this or that while praying, or that they see a way open, half open, half closed, closed, etc. Sometimes they even see that a person is going to die soon. Isn’t it funny that they teach this to doctors in MBBS courses too?
Prayer cannot be substituted by any other thing. And other things cannot substitute prayer too. Praying for children cannot successfully replace spending time with them, if we can help it. A loud, bold prayer for peace and unity in Nagaland in the streets cannot take the place of repentance, working for unity and getting our hands dirty. I always feel that there is something very unsatisfying and unfinished about prayer if it is not followed by a deliberate effort to do what is necessary and to do the right thing. Nehemiah was a man of prayer. But more importantly, we know him as a man who did not mind getting his hands dirty.
Few years back I was attending a service where Nagas from all walks of life and tribes had gathered. It was an inspiring sight to behold. The climax was when the congregation stood in unison for a mass spoken prayer for peace, unity and healing. I allowed myself the surreptitious little pleasure of a glance at the praying congregation. Some were shouting, some had their hands raised, others were crying making the volume almost deafening. I stood there unable to pray partly because of the deafening volume, and partly because my heart was pained and even angered at why God would fail to answer the fervent and determined prayer of such a gathering of His people.
Later I began to ponder on the famous verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face — and turn from their wicked ways, — then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (Emphasis mine). It dawned on me that perhaps we have missed the most important part of the verse, which is this: “…and TURN from their wicked ways.” If we notice, the phrase “turn from their wicked ways” is what holds together the conditions which precedes it (“if”) and the promise which follows it (“I will”). It serves as the hinge. The conditions include humbling ourselves, prayer, seeking, which we have religiously performed. But we have lost the hinge without which we cannot open the door of promise, blessing, forgiveness and healing. I say this carefully without being judgmental on anyone. But the fact is: God never blesses an unrepentant heart. He never answers an unrepentant prayer.
If one takes a walk around Kohima (or any other town for that matter), one will hardly find fruits of repentance. We are more likely to see fruits of bitterness, insecurity, materialism, greed, selfishness, a nationalism gone wrong, unrepentant heart, etc. Am I too negative? How else do you explain the land encroachments (by churches too!), the electric power thefts, water supply pipes sawed into half, the misuse and abuse of public property, and I don’t have to mention the things that happen (or does not happen) in our government offices, or the collection of “taxes” by those who claim to fight for our national rights. Didn’t the Bible say that sin is lawlessness? The Law is on a vacation. Individuals, NGOs, underground groups are ever ready to put their own version of law into action.
And lest you and I think that we are not guilty of any of the above, the Bible says, “…ALL have sinned and fallen short…” Do we see the mirror reflecting?
There was a time when the Pharisees and the Sadducees came to John the Baptist to be baptized. John sees right through at their motives and shouts back at them calling them a brood of vipers. He tells them first to produce fruits in keeping with repentance, and then to be baptized (Matt. 3:6-8). So the ultimate sign of repentance is producing fruits and not other things like humbling ourselves, prayer, tears or sacrifices.
But what really is repentance? One thing is sure: it is not just grief for sin, or acknowledgement of our sins. If you refer any Standard English dictionary it will tell you that repentance is feeling sorry for something you have done, grief for a mistake, etc. The Greek word “metanoeo” (repent), usually means to change one’s mind. But the usage of the word in the New Testament emphasizes on a turning round, a complete alteration of the basic motivation and direction of one’s life. Repentance is a change of attitude towards sin. It is taking a U-turn away from sin. And all of these will result from a radical change of the mind and motivation.
We should not make the mistake of thinking that repentance is acknowledgement of our sins. It is not. Nor is it confession of sin. It is turning away from sin and turning to God resulting from a changed attitude towards sin.
Have you changed your attitude towards sin? How about your attitude towards gossip, backbiting, destructive criticisms, sexual sins, bribing and receiving bribes, indifference, laziness, food habits, yourself-your pride, possessing things which are not rightfully yours, materialism, cheating, etc. If after confessing your sin you still easily go back to that same life, perhaps your attitude towards sin has not really changed, and perhaps your mind and motivation is still controlled by the old nature.
Acts 26:20. “…that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.”
