There Is A Way Back

God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

I woke one day recently with the words of a Graham Kendrick hymn that I hadn’t heard or thought of for  years going through my mind.

We’ll walk the land with hearts on fire 
And every step will be a prayer
Hope is rising, new day dawning
Sound of singing fills the air.

Let the flame burn brighter 
In the heart of the darkness
Turning night to glorious day
Let the song grow louder 
As our love grows stronger
Let it shine, let it shine. 

It’s a triumphant hymn. Many will be able to identify with these words as they walk from day to day with the fire of  love for, and dedication to,  God burning inside them.

However, as I thought about this, I also realised that, for some others, these words will bring sadness because they are echoes of bygone days when their spiritual lives were more vibrant than now. The fire that once blazed has burned low.

But for those in this condition, there is hope. Reading Spurgeon’s powerful appeal to those whose fire has grown cold  to return to their Lord and Saviour,  there is an overwhelming sense of God’s compassion as He woos his lost sheep. It made me wonder how any could refuse to answer His call to walk in the footsteps of the prodigal son.

If you know today that your fire is burning low, even if you don’t understand how God could welcome you, even if you can’t get your head around His extraordinary graciousness you can  still  make a decision to accept it. Don’t let  doubts or the awareness of your unworthiness cause you to fail to accept God’s forgiveness. Failing to accept God’s forgiveness is often due to pride and stubbornness. If someone came and offered you a beautifully wrapped box, opened it, and inside it lay all the money you needed for the rest of your life, I am sure  it would not take much persuasion to accept that box. You  may not  understand why the gift is given, may in-fact be totally perplexed , but almost everyone would accept such an offer. Friend, is it any more difficult to accept that:

“though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18)

Come to Christ today. Speak to Him of your sorrow for your sin and very soon, you too will find yourself singing these words; 
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Let the flame burn brighter 
In the heart of the darkness
Turning night to glorious day
Let the song grow louder 
As our love grows stronger
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 

Pauline Anderson