Jesus' first recorded words in the gospel of Mark are, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

The word repent can be kind of a scary word. It makes me think of an experience I had as a young teenager. I remember going to the beach one Sunday, seeing a group of angry people holding signs which read, “Turn or Burn! Repent!” This made me reflect: if repent means that I have to be like you, angry and judgmental, I really want no part of it!

But Jesus says, “Repent.” And it does imply a turn. However, the actual Greek word first used in Mark’s Gospel is Metanoia - which literally means: change your mind. Meta: to change. Noia: thinking… Change your thinking.

Change your mind… 

I remember my pastor, Herb Meza, teaching on this. He said Jesus was saying, “Get a new heart and a new mind for this new kingdom - a new mind for this new world that Jesus is ushering in.”  

Change your mind… Change your perspective. Change your thinking… and your actions will follow…

All of this makes me think about the times my mind and heart have been changed, especially those times when my perspective has shifted more towards what I know to be true about God’s kingdom.

However, for all the times when my heart has been changed, there have been many other times when I’ve not wanted to change. I think about how so often stubborn pride kept me stuck in old narratives…when wanting to be right has kept me from doing what is right; when wanting to be right kept me from building bridges to those who believe differently; when inconvenience or discomfort have kept me from jumping in; times when I felt apathy even though I knew courage and action were called for… 

Jesus says, “Repent.”

I hope… and actually truly believe, that this is less about judgment and more an ongoing invitation. An invitation that, when we answer, brings us closer to him.

I hope I will always stay open to God changing my heart and mind. And I hope you do too. 

Let us pray: Thank you, God, for your grace, mercy, and love. We offer you our hearts and minds again this day. Heal us, renew us, and transform us more and more into the image of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

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