Teach Me, Lord, How to Repent

O Lord, I repent for the ways I have sinned,
Yet teach me, Lord, how to repent.
It is not a singular walk down the aisle,
But is a continual conscious lifestyle.

There's dissonance found in my thoughts and my deeds,
When I disobey what Your gospel decrees.
With my tongue I say that Your scripture is true,
Denying it, though, by the things that I do.

Repenting is changing, renewing my mind,
So deeply -- it changes the way I'm inclined.
Not simply the thoughts that come into my brain,
Yet all my desires and actions retrained.

I tend to repent when I'm failing myself,
Ignoring my God I am failing as well.
I tend to excuse or else minimize sin,
Or else only surface-deep do I repent.

I recognize sinning springs up from my heart,
In grief I confess -- thus repentance can start.
Lord, help me feel anger and shame at the loss,
And baptize my mind with the grace of the cross.

Thunderings (I Samuel 12:13-25)

How quickly I am wont to stray,
And manufacture my own gods.
Lord, take my wandering away,
And strip away my sin's façade.
For when I hear, I do not heed,
But do what brings myself delight.
Lord, draw me to what You decreed,
Restraining me to what is right. 
And I withhold what You demand,
I bar the center of my heart.
Lord, break my bars, lest I be damned,
And make my idols to depart.
Your thunderings have silenced me,
I stand here naked and dismayed.
I have no moral purity,
And should be given to the grave!
For You have ruined all my food,
That I may look to You for bread,
You purged the lusts which I pursued,
That I find joy in You instead.
You sacrificed Yourself for me,
And You made up my weaknesses,
You rescued me for sanctity,
Now make me do as Your Word says.
Lord, Your salvation shows You great,
I know the mighty things You've done.
With fear, I will my sin forsake,
With love, I look to serve Your Son.

Revival (I Samuel 7)

Lord, bring revival to this nation,
And let the people turn to You.
For we are secular and pagan,
Cloaked in comforting half-truths.

Lord, give us faithful priests and pastors,
Who with great care preserve Your Word,
Who will not skip its hardest chapters,
An intercessor who is heard.

Lord, give us bold and honest prophets,
Who call Your people to repent.
Reveal the idols of our lockets,
Each treasured lust and favorite sin.

Lord, give us humble, Godly leaders,
Who seek Your face for victory,
Who know You as their Ebenezer,
Before You let Your foe-men flee.

And so through all our nation growing,
A pious spirit, praising God,
A Godly city that is showing,
Jesus’ light to all abroad.