Michelle Layer Rahal's Blog

Grace for Today

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. —1 John 4:16   My mother cross-stitched the guardian angel...

4 Things God Won't Do

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”...

My Pen, His Purpose

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit— fruit that will last— and so that whatever...

From Half Empty to Overflowing

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I...

A Note for Father's Day

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. —Ephesians 6:4   With...

Discovering the Active Word of God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. —John 1:1-2   When was...

Horses, and Donkeys, and Kings, Oh My!

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on...

Eyes Open for God

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”   —Matthew 18:20   Snow was a possibility. Cloudy skies were predicted....

Lament, Confess, Repent

Repent, then, and turn to God,

so that your sins may be wiped out,

that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

—Acts 3:19

 

With Valentine’s Day coming up, I was sure this blog would be all about love. Instead, I feel called to write about lamentation, confession, and repentance. Maybe it’s because my early attempts at love had more to do with physical gratification than emotional intimacy.

 

In my defense, when I committed these “desires of the flesh,” I was a Christian in name only. It was only after I encountered Jesus that I came to realize the magnitude of my sinful behavior. The apostle Paul wrote, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6).

 

Unattended sin can grow and fester, like an untreated wound. The only cure is repentance. The Bible tells us this time and time again. God consistently called his wayward people to repent of their sins, warning them that consequences await those who fail to comply. “Therefore, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32).

 

Despite God’s plea and warning, the people of Israel often chose their own way instead of God’s way. “None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle” (Jeremiah 8:6).

 

I was not going to be like those Israelites. When I came to know Christ, the true gravity of my past sin became apparent. I knew I needed to repent and ask for God’s forgiveness.

 

To repent means to turn away from sin and turn toward God. This is an impossible act apart from lamentation and confession. To lament means to express true sorrow or regret for one’s actions. It is a sign that the offender recognizes her sin and the pain it has caused. This is then followed by the act of confession where the offender verbalizes her sin and asks for God’s forgiveness. Confession without lament is like saying “I’m sorry you’re hurting” but not taking responsibility for being the one who inflicted the pain. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

 

With tears streaming down my face, I cried out to God in shame and regret and asked for his forgiveness. That was over 20 years ago.

 

So, why were some of those old memories still haunting me today?

 

If I had confessed without lamenting, I would expect to be haunted by past sins. If I had confessed without repenting, I would expect to still be caught in the cycle of sin. If I had lamented without asking for forgiveness, I would expect to still feel guilty. But I had done it all. God had forgiven me. I know this. I remember the peace that came over me, like a weight being lifted.

 

I found the answer I was looking for in the story of King David and Bathsheba.  

 

During a time of war, David commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers. When Bathsheba discovers she is pregnant with David’s child, David sends her husband to the front lines of battle to be killed. The cover-up doesn’t hold. Nathan the prophet exposes David’s sin and tells him that the child Bathsheba is carrying will not live.

 

“David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them” (2 Samuel 12:16-17). David responds with lament and confession. He accepts responsibility for his sin, anguishes over his actions, and begs God’s forgiveness.

 

Nonetheless, David’s son died just as Nathan said he would. Though David’s prayers weren’t answered, his lament led to confession and his confession led to forgiveness—and David accepted that he had been forgiven.

 

After his son died, David got up from the ground, worshipped the Lord, and ate a meal. His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting?” (2 Samuel 12:21-23)

 

David paid the price for his adultery with the death of his son, yet he was able to get up from the ground, worship, and eat. Why? Because he accepted the consequences of his sins and acknowledged God’s forgiveness. To do anything less would have given Satan a foothold.

 

David wrote these words in Psalm 32, verses 1 and 2: “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.”

 

When God says we are forgiven, we are forgiven. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12). This is God’s gift of grace.

 

We have no right to pick up our shame and regret if we’ve already laid it down before the cross. Accepting God’s forgiveness washes us clean and leads us into His loving heart. David knew this, and now, so do I.

Perhaps this is the perfect Valentine’s message after all.

 

THE SONG THAT COMES TO MIND is Repent (What a Joy it Is) by The Worship Initiative 

Favorite lyric: “Your goodness makes me wanna sing. Your mercy brings me to my knees. Your faithfulness is with me 'till the end. And Your kindness makes me want to repent.”

 

Faith Grows in Community

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

so that whether I come and see you or am absent,

I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit,

with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

—Philippians 1:27

 

There are 16,888 seats in the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Every single one of them was filled last week—not by basketball fans, but by college students seeking a closer relationship with Jesus. This was Passion 2025.

 

The Passion movement was initiated by Pastor Louie Giglio and Christian songwriter and recording artist Chris Tomlin back in 1997 to ignite a spiritual awakening among 18-to-25-year-olds in America. Even in 1997, I was already well past the age of inclusion for this movement, but I was aware of it and wished I could attend.

 

Last week I got my chance when my husband and I served as hosts for sixteen college students who were home on Christmas break. I was pumped! Finally, I would get to see what I had missed by being born in the wrong decade. 

 

As I expected, the music was fantastic, led by some of my favorite artists like Kari Jobe, Brooke Ligertwood, and David Crowder. Everyone rose to their feet to sing loudly, passionately, with their hands raised in praise. There was a good mix of speakers—young and old, male and female. The topics they shared were relevant to young adults, and they were delivered in a style that resonated well with the young audience. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). I found this to be true at Passion. At times, the Holy Spirit’s presence was palpable. Though there was much to take in and remember, I’ve been reflecting on what was missing.

 

As a “seasoned” Christian, I was able to listen to the talks with understanding, meditate on the messages being shared, reflect on their application in my own life, and assess where and how I might need to make changes. Many of these young adults who were attending the conference for the first time, however, found themselves drinking from a firehose with no opportunity to discuss and process what they had heard.

 

We stayed in a lovely hotel about a mile walk from the arena. Each morning, a couple of volunteers from our group would go stand in line at 5:30 a.m. (in 30-degree temperatures) to ensure we would get decent seats together once the doors opened. It wasn’t possible to dine as a group for breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the conference, and when the sessions ended each night, we walked back to the hotel (in 30-degree temperatures) exhausted. 

 

The experience made me think of Jesus’s sermon on the mount. Beginning in Matthew, chapter 5, we learn that when the crowds began forming, Jesus “went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (vs. 1-2). Two chapters later, after sharing no less than eighteen lessons, we read, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he taught as one who had authority and not as their teachers of the law” (Matthew 7:28-29).

 

Though scripture doesn’t say this, I suspect that the people went home discussing what they had just learned and asking questions to determine if they heard the same thing and how they should interpret the lessons. “Did he say we are to love our enemies?” “How exactly am I the salt of the earth?” “If someone strikes my cheek, am I really supposed to give them my other cheek?” “Does he truly expect me to gouge my eyes out if I look at another woman with desire?” “How exactly am I supposed to stop worrying about tomorrow?”

 

The Passion Conference provided many nuggets (both good and questionable) that deserved reflection and consideration, but there was no time built into the program to address this. I’m sure that was done on purpose to encourage groups that attended from colleges across the U.S. to go back to their campuses to debrief. But I was with a group of young adults that didn’t attend the same college.

 

As a former public-school teacher, I was reminded that lessons stick best when students are involved in discovery and discussion. Without it, there's no telling how much of what those students heard at the conference will be interpreted incorrectly or make any difference in their lives. The same can be said for people who attend church on Sunday mornings and do nothing more than listen to the sermon. Hearing does not transform lives. It plants a seed, but without watering it in community and exposing it to the sun through discussion, growth is limited. I speak from experience.

 

On the flight home, one of the students said to me, “I want to work on a personal relationship with Jesus, but I don’t know how to do that.”

 

Though the apostle Paul tells each of us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), the writer of Hebrews instructs us to grow our faith in community. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

 

I will be the first to tell a college student that I spent too many years catering to secular desires while treating church like a spectator sport. It took more years than I care to count to realize that church is a gathering place where believers praise God in community, encourage each other in life, and grow in active faith.

 

So, what did I say to that student who wondered how to pursue a relationship with Jesus? “Don’t do it alone. Until you find a community that provides spiritual sustenance, call me.”

 

SHARING A FAVORITE SONG WE SANG AT PASSION: I’ve Witnessed It 

Favorite lyric: “Your promises never fail. I’ve got stories I’ll live to tell. So I’ll pour out my praise again. You’re worthy, God. You’re worthy of all of it.