How God feels about "repentance"

In Luke 15 Jesus told three parables about the joy of finding things lost things which we consider to be valuable:

1. The parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7).
2. The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10).
3. The parable of the lost (prodigal) son (Luke 15:11-32).

You can read these three parables now by simply hovering over the chapter and verse locations provided above.

All three parables are intended to show us God's heart for finding lost people and for reconciling us to Himself. I believe it can apply to those meeting God for the first time through faith in Christ Jesus, as well as those wholeheartedly turning back to God after backsliding (inclusive of habitually giving place to sins in one's lifestyle). In both cases we may use the word *repentance.

We know that repentance is life-saving for our own souls because God alone saves, and this turning around is the only way to find ourselves heading in His direction. Repentance also plays a critical fundamental role in destroying the footholds and strongholds of satan that ensnare us. But did you ever stop to think about how God feels about our acts of repentance?

Each of the parables above ended by relating the Father's great joy in our repentance, as told by the most reliable Source - the Father's Beloved Son:

The parable of the lost sheep

"And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

The parable of the lost coin

"And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

The parable of the lost (prodigal) son

"And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him...But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

Granting us mercy for our repentance is not something that God does grudgingly, neither in an exasperated nor aloof manner. It is not a cold, professional transaction. When we repent from a sinful way, He gets involved with His whole heart and rejoices over our repentance. We make our way towards Him sincerely, and He sees us while we are still a long way off and comes running to meet us (Luke 15:20). At this point, He does not conduct an interrogation, nor give us the silent treatment. Instead, He loves us freely.

“I will heal their backsliding,

I will love them freely,

For My anger has turned away from him."

Hosea 14:4

[* For definitions and key insights on repentance, I stumbled upon a good sermon outline which you may read here. I am not familiar with the ministry that produced this but I believe this particular outline is biblically sound and easy to understand.]