Lent 2021: A Story to Live BySample

Teshuva

Reflection

As a young Christian, the word ‘repent’ used to make me wince. I grew up in a church setting where it was often used in the context of: ‘You’re a despicable sinner and you need to change your ways – or else!’

‘Repent’, therefore, can often have a lot of guilt and shame attached to it.

But now, as an old(er) Christian, it’s a word that inspires me to hope.

In Hebrew, the word translated into English as ‘repent’ is teshuva. Teshuva literally means ‘return’. Return to what?

To the vibrant, abundant life that God has made available to us. To the divine image placed since before birth at the centre of our beings. To who we’ve been created to be.

Teshuva is about returning to the path of life. It is about turning towards where we know there is light, no matter how surrounded by darkness we may feel. It is a declaration that human beings have the capacity to change – not to be better, because you cannot improve on God’s design, but to do better, because that is lining ourselves up with who we truly are.

Prayer 

God of love, we return to you. We return to the divine image you placed within us. We angle ourselves towards the light. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Author: Gideon Heugh

Gideon writes for Tearfund and is a poet and environmentalist.