7-day plan: Turning back to God
Returning to God: seeing the wrong, changing course and finding a Father with open arms.
One passage a day, with a question to think it over. Your progress stays on this device, no account needed.
Day 1 · Recognizing sin
David, after his fall, asks God to wipe out his wrongdoing
For the director. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Show me favor, Elohim, according to your loyal love; according to the abundance of your mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and from my sin make me clean. For my transgressions I know, and my sin is before me always. Against you, against you alone, I have sinned, and what is evil in your eyes I have done, so that you may be righteous when you speak, pure when you judge.
Psalms 51:1–4 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
What does this passage say about what God is like?
Day 2 · God calls us back
God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in their turning back
Say to them, As I live, declares Adonai YHWH, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in the wicked man’s turning from his way and living. Turn, turn from your evil ways; and why will you die, house of Israel?
Ezekiel 33:11 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Which word or phrase stays with you, and why?
Day 3 · The Father who waits
The shepherd seeks the lost sheep, and there is joy when it is found
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable, saying, “What man among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes into the house, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his mind than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of a change of mind.
Luke 15:1–7 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
The older son was angry about the feast, and his father pleaded with him to come in. With whom do you find it hard to rejoice today? (vv. 28-32)
Day 4 · A new heart
God promises to remove the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh. And my spirit I will put within you, and I will bring it about that you walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them.
Ezekiel 36:26–27 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
What does it invite you to do today, even something small?
Day 5 · Recognizing sin
While he kept silent it weighed on him; when he confessed, God took away his guilt
When I kept silent, my bones wore away through my roaring all the day. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my vigor was turned into the droughts of summer. Selah. My sin I made known to you, and my iniquity I did not cover; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to YHWH,” and you took away the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Psalms 32:3–5 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Who could you share this with this week?
Day 6 · God calls us back
“Return to me with all your heart”: God is gracious
Yet even now, declares YHWH, return to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamenting. And tear your heart, and not your garments, and return to YHWH your Elohim; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love, and relenting over the evil.
Joel 2:12–13 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
What would you like to say to God after reading it?
Day 7 · The Father who waits
The woman seeks her coin: joy in heaven over one who returns
Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma that I had lost.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who changes his mind.”
Luke 15:8–10 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
The older son was angry about the feast, and his father pleaded with him to come in. With whom do you find it hard to rejoice today? (vv. 28-32)