Change Direction

Joyce and a California sea lion

"So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God." (Mark 6:12)

Have you ever taken off for one place but, surprisingly, landed somewhere totally different? Today, my friend, Joyce, and I headed downtown for a Bible study but (for a good reason) ended up at the Birmingham Zoo. 

In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, we find Jesus calling the Twelve together and sending them out two by two. Everywhere they went, the disciples preached the message of John the Baptist and Jesus: REPENT, i.e. turn from sin toward God, change direction and your way of thinking.

In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, the Lord begs His people to change direction: 

"Turn back to Me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches." (Rev. 2:5)

"Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of My mouth." (Rev. 2:16)

"Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to Me again. If you don't wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief." (Revelation 3:3)

Beloved, are you running with the wrong crowd headed in the wrong direction? "Therefore repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshment may come from the presence of the LORD." (Acts 3:19)