On Tuesdays, I am reading through Sinclair Ferguson’s The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction with another brother in the church. This past week we talked about chapters 8 and 9, but I was particularly encouraged by chapter 8, “True Repentance.” One of the things that struck me, as it has before, is how wonderful God’s mercy is. In the course of identifying elements in repentance, Dr. Ferguson pointed out that “True repentance always involves the recognition of pardon” (p.75). He goes on to say that “Only when we turn away from looking at our own sin to look at the face of God, to find his pardoning grace, do we begin to repent. Only by seeing that there is grace and forgiveness with him would we ever dare to repent and thus return to the fellowship and presence of the Father” (p.75).

How often do we fail to truly repent because we don’t fully apprehend the very merciful nature of God in the face of our sin? Yes, he is not pleased with our sin, but he is pleased to forgive. In view of his mercies, let’s endeavor to truly turn from our sin and turn to him.