Teshuvah!

Teshuvah?

That’s a word we don’t want to hear.

Teshuvah has been on the hearts and minds of many these past few days.  A few days ago we began the Jewish month of Elul.  That date also corresponds to something called 40 days of Teshuvah.  The word literally means “to return” but in our English vernacular it is best translated as “repentance.”  Most of us would have a hard time even properly defining that word.  Most of us would relate it to confession (i.e., of our sins) but in essence it means this – stop doing the thing you are doing and turn back to God.  I always think of it like this:  You’re driving down the road and suddenly you realize that you are going the wrong way.  So what do you do?  Well of course you stop, make a u-turn, and proceed to go back in the right direction.

That is what teshuvah means – making a u-turn.

We are currently on the 5th day of 40 days of Teshuvah.  But why teshuvah?

The storm approaches.

We do teshuvah because it is the time leading up to the Day of Atonement.  We do teshuvah because we have sin in our lives.  We do teshuvah because there are people we have wronged.  We do teshuvah because we have all “like sheep, gone astray.”

Our Master, the Anointed One commands us to do teshuvah.  In fact, it was the primary message he came to the earth to bear.  Many will say, “I thought Jesus was all about love.”  He is, but how do we show our love for YHWH?

Return  –  Do you need to turn back to YHWH?  Have you gone astray from his path?

Repent  –  What sin do you have in your life?

Teshuvah  –  What is keeping you from God?

Is there a sin in your life that is between you and God?  Yes?  Stop it now.  Unsure?  Then the answer is most likely yes.  Our world has spread lies about what sin is.

Is YHWH your god or is there something else you worship?  What do you devote most of your (free) time to?  What is the most important thing in your life?  What would your spouse or your children or your friends say is the most important thing in your life?

Do you idolize a sports team?  A TV show?  A person?  A philosophy?  Your profession?

Have you taken on the name of God – YHWH – through being called by the title of his son, that is, being called a Christian – have you taken on his name in vain?  Do you live up to the standards of the name or do you do God dishonor?

Do you keep Sabbath?  Now is not the time for rationalization on whether you (non-Jew) are required to do so or not.  I don’t care what you think Paul says, or Peter for that matter, or any of the Rabbis.  Yeshua kept the Sabbath.  It is mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible.  It was instituted at creation.  Do you keep the Sabbath Holy?

Do you honor your mother and father by the life you live or are you a constant source of heartache and frustration for them?

Do you ever hold murderous intent in your heart?  Have you ever hated someone?  Have you ever had or endorsed someone else to get an abortion?

Have you ever looked on with a lustful eye?  Have you ever committed any sexual act with anyone that isn’t your spouse?  Have you gotten a divorce for any non-biblical reason?  Do you live with your significant other?  Do you support homosexuality?

Have you ever shoplifted?  Have you ever taken anything home from work?  Have you ever borrowed something and not returned it?  Have you ever taken something from a friend or relative that they did not give you permission to take?  Have you ever eaten grapes in a store and not paid for them?  Have you ever taken anything that did not belong to you?

Do you gossip?  Have you ever hurt someone’s reputation by the words you have spoken?  Have you ever told a “little-white-lie”?  Have you ever lied on your taxes?  Have you ever rationalized your lie?  Have you ever twisted the truth or left out important details?  Have you ever spoken negatively of your spouse, child, relative, in-law, mechanic, pastor, congressman, senator, president…. ?

Do long to have something that belongs to another person?  Have you ever greatly desired after something or someone that belongs to someone else?  Have you ever thought negatively about someone else because of something they have?

Let’s face it.  We all have sin in our lives that we have to deal with.  Our God is full of grace and forgiveness but we still have to do our part.

Do Teshuvah – turn back – repent.

Do not hold back.  Do not delay.

The storm is coming.