I love ESPN's Pardon the Interruption (PTI). Because it is on in the afternoon I hardly ever get to watch it, but I listen to it via podcast. Tony Kornheiser always closes the show with "we'll try to do better then next time" and Michael Wilbon always closes with "same time tomorrow knuckleheads". Because I have nothing better to do, I captured a week of show closes for your listening pleasure.
Our repentance to God must often seem like this. It is hollow almost comical. "I'll try and do better the next time Lord" knowing full well I will stumble again. Often it happens with our closest relationships. If I belch at home (usually after something heavily carbonated), I might say I'm sorry, but really I am quite proud of my ability to belch loudly.
The good news is we have a God who loves to forgive repentant sinners. My sin breaks God's heart and he so wants to restore me. He will forgive and restore countless times, endless numbers of times. But there is a caution flag. There was and is a cost to this forgiveness. Jesus took my sins to the cross so my sin should grieve me more in the cost of it than the fear of penalty. The writer to the Hebrews says "If we go on sinning willfully, there is no longer a sacrifice" (13:26) and "we are trampling underfoot the blood of the covenant" (13:29).
My sin should make me weep for what it cost God far more than what it can cost me. It cost God everything. It should make my repentance genuine and not hollow. I need to trust God to move me away from sin in true repentance. I can no longer just "try to do better the next time".
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