Taking Time For Godly Sorrow

"Today's Devotion" For February 28, 2006

Read: Luke 15:1-10; II Corinthians 7:5-13

TAKING TIME FOR GODLY SORROW

"...yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance...Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." (II Cor. 7:9, 10)

Throughout the Western world today is known as "Shrove Tuesday." In some places, such as Australia, it’s called "Pancake Tuesday." In many "old world" locations, such as New Orleans, it's known as "Mardi gras" or "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi - "Tuesday"; Gras - "fat"). It's the last day of "Carnival" (meaning - "farewell to meat") and leads into Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent in the Christian church.

The field of scholarship which takes a look at the origins and meanings of languages is called etymology. The etymology of "Shrove Tuesday" is quite telling. The word "Shrove" is a conjugation of the Old English verb, "shrive," which means to listen to another acknowledgment of his or her sins, assure them of God's forgiveness, and give them appropriate spiritual advice. Sadly, this meaning of "Shrove Tuesday" as a lead-in to Lent has been lost in the whirlwind we call the modern world. The term "shrove" survives today, not as a willingness to pay attention to a person's confession and give absolution, but in the phrase "short shrift" which popularly means paying little attention to a person or his or her problems. The longer terminology, not often used today, is "to give him short shrift and a long rope" - to hang a criminal without delay.

The terms "Fat Tuesday" or "Mardi Gras" came to represent "Shrove Tuesday" because it was the day a thrifty house wife and mother would use up the last of her saved bacon fat and other fat drippings she used for cooking, since she wouldn't be using the fat during the fasting season of Lent. "Pancake Tuesday" is a takeoff from that because such fat is often used in certain pancake recipes." Over the centuries, the whole idea of "Shrove Tuesday" and "Mardi Gras" ("Fat Tuesday") has been pretty well lost for many Christians because "Mardi Gras" had become synonymous with debauchery and gluttony - over indulgence - before the season of Lent begins.

It seems as if we human beings will do anything we can to avoid coming to grips with our sin and disobedience to God. For many Christians, "Shrove Tuesday" is just another day of the week - "it's just Tuesday today, and tomorrow, Wednesday, is Ash Wednesday this year." For a good number of Christians and churches, Lent is just the six Sundays leading up to Easter. For a significant number of other Christians, Lent is a time to "give something up" for forty days which they consider a "sacrifice," for spiritual discipline. For still other Christians, Lent is 40-days of personal reflection (not counting Sundays), introspection, and repentance in preparation for the glorious celebration of Christ's Easter victory.

There should be no doubt in our minds that it's good for God's people to take the time for self-examination, repentance, and absolution. St. Paul's letter to the Christians at Corinth, which had chastised them, had brought them "Godly sorrow" and led them to repentance and increased faith. Their response of faith was to serve God with more conviction and determination to reach others with the Gospel. Jesus reminds us how very important and pleasing to God our repentance really is, noting that "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Lk. 15:10).

By God's grace, mercy, and love in Jesus we have received the forgiveness of all our sins. By faith in Christ Jesus, each day we approach God's throne of grace with repentant hearts to be renewed, restored, and forgiven by His Word and Spirit. We also have opportunities to "shrive" someone - to hear their repentance, comfort them with the assurance of God's forgiveness, and encourage them to lead a God-pleasing life of faith and witness. You know, maybe it's a good time for us to take another look at "ShroveTuesday" for what it was intended to be. Taking the time for Godly sorrow is certainly a faithful response to God's Will and His love.

Prayer: Father, as I enter the season of Lent, along with my brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask that You would give me Your Word and Spirit in abundant measure that I might truly repent of my sins and, receiving the assurance of Your forgiveness in Jesus, would strive to live a life that is pleasing to You and of service to my neighbor. Help me to appreciate the opportunities You give me for repentance and for listening to the sorrow of others over their sins, assure them of Your forgiveness, and encourage them to live lives of faith and trust in Your service. Bless all Your children as we enter into the season of Lent and reflect on the perfect obedience of Jesus to Your will and His suffering and death for my sins and those of the whole world. Hear my prayer, gracious Father, for the sake of Jesus who suffered and died as payment for my sins so that I might have life forever with You. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.