Why is your blog entitled 'The Return'?

Now that I've had my coffee I'm ready to watch radar! Great movie (Spaceballs) and a great quote! In all seriousness, I had every intention of blogging this morning while enjoying a nice hot cup of coffee, but a new friend (now a good friend!) came into the office to pick my brain and talk some theology. Although he probably had no idea he was talking theology! Given where ministry is at right now, this conversation truly was a blessing as it opened my eyes to ways in which the Spirit of God is moving within this particular individual and his family. It's exciting to see and hear from someone awakened and enlivened by God's Spirit. This conversation breathed some much needed fresh air into my soul.

Although my blog has just been started, it would most likely help to explain why I've entitled it "The Return." As of the past year or so, this word "Repent" has continually come to the fore of my mind. At times, it fades, but every time I encounter it within the pages of the Scriptures or various books that I'm reading, it hits me with such force and power. When Jesus begins his ministry, his central proclamation that practically sums up everything that He and His Father (God) were about is "Repent, for the Kingdom of God has come near!" If we pour over the gospels and understand what Jesus is enacting through his words and deeds, we begin to understand that this message consumed his entire life, including his preaching ministry. So this wasn't just a one time saying that randomly came out of his mouth at various points. Instead, this was an earth shattering invitation. It was (and still is) an invitation extended to all people, everywhere into something very big that God was (and still is) doing...


Now this word "Repent" has drawn some harsh criticism because of it's inappropriate use amongst passionate Christian fundamentalists. And because of it's destructive usage, we seem to avoid this word altogether when it comes to Jesus. To many the word 'Repent' has all these negative connotations that center around the shame, guilt and remorse we should have before God because we totally suck at life. But you see the word 'Repent' actually means something quite different.

Repent means 'to turn around,' so in a sense it's an invitation to begin to see our lives and our world differently based on who Jesus is and this new reality called the "kingdom of God" that has somehow drawn near through his life, death and resurrection. And not only is it a call to see our lives differently, but it's a call to live our lives differently. Which leads us to a deeper understanding of the word 'Repent'? In the Hebrew the word 'Repent' comes from the word 'T'Shuva. Now T'shuva essentially means to 'Return.' The question is: what are we called to 'Return' to? The typical Jr. High Sunday School answer would be: God. In a certain sense, sure that would be a correct answer, but it's much deeper than that. You see when Jesus says 'Repent,' he's inviting and challenging us to 'Return' to who we were always meant to be.

...And we were meant to be whole, restored, and in union with our Creator.

In Jesus, God is setting things right and reclaiming that which is lost, broken, and disconnected from Him. Essentially, the Father has not only called His children to 'Return' to Him, but to 'Return' to what He had in mind for us (the human race) from the very beginning. It's because of grace and love, that I now find myself in the process of 'Returning'. And that is why this blog is entitled 'The Return."

May this blog be one of many ways by which I 'Return' to the Father and 'Return' to who I was always meant to be...