Lament, Mourn, and Weep

James 4:8-10 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Have we forgotten how to mourn our own sinfulness? Have we become so desensitized to sin that we are no longer broken about the things we say or do that break God's heart? When we read the verses that convict us, or hear a message that reminds us to return to the Lord, do we just nonchalantly turn back to God as if sinning against Him was just an oversight on our part, and now we are ready to say a few words to gain His forgiveness? Where is the brokenness? Where is the misery and sadness over what we have done? Where is the weeping? It is no great wonder that we continually find ourselves on the hamster wheel of sin, when we treat our sinful behavior like there is a revolving door to give us access after we have gotten over our superficial moment of confession. Far too often we have a brief emotional moment, usually after we have been caught, and our sin exposed; but never truly mourn in a way that brings us to honest repentance and confession. We should be eternally grateful that the Lord doesn't discard us when we betray Him with our idolatrous affairs with the world. Instead of forsaking us, He lovingly bids us to return to Him, but James makes it clear that our return should be one of brokenness and sorrow for what we have done. Our return should not only be motivated by God's great love, but also by the misery of knowing that we sinned against Him; the One who laid down His own life to redeem us from the devils, the world, and the sin that enslaved us and sentenced us to death. So I ask us all to consider, "Where is the misery, the mourning, and the weeping?" Is it not far past the time that we stop playing games, and get serious about our walk with the Lord? It is not far past the time that we turn back to Him with broken hearts of true repentance and confession; forsaking the world and submitting in humility to the Lord who purchased us with His very own Blood?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).