“For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.”
—Jeremiah 7:5–7

It is important for us to understand that the Father’s love for us is unconditional. But sometimes people today are so grace-oriented that they do not understand the power and necessity of repentance. They don’t seem to realize it’s the grace of God that leads us to repentance.

In order for us to experience God’s presence consistently, we have to repent. This truth is seen throughout the New Testament. John the Baptist’s message was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). And Jesus taught the same thing. (See Matthew 4:17.) But this concept is not only found in the New Testament. We see it also in the Hebrew Scriptures. Jeremiah said if the people of Israel would truly amend their ways (i.e., repent), and if they practiced justice; did not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow; and did not shed innocent blood or follow after false gods—all of which represent a turn toward God’s way of doing things—then God would let them dwell in the land He gave their fathers forever and ever. The point is that repentance was required for people to receive the fullness of God’s blessing.

Please hear me today: God loves us so much, but we need to put Him first in our lives and seek after Jesus. When we do this, the Spirit of the Lord is going to draw closer and closer to us, and we are going to experience His glory and His pleasure more and more. You see, we are partners with God. God does His part, but we have to do our part. Repentance precedes the blessing of God. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8).

Father God, I receive Your Word. Help me to follow Your narrow way and to never despise Your chastening. Help me to be sensitive to Your conviction and quick to repent when I stray from Your will. I long to draw close to You and live in the fullness of Your blessing and power.

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Revelation (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2020), Used by permission.