Repent, Return, Restore. This theme runs throughout scripture. It is a snapshot of every generation, and a call to every person throughout history. We read over and over of a people who fall away from God, repent, return to him, and receive restoration. Repentance is a big church word meaning "to make a U-turn." Over bad decisions take us away from God. We repent, make a U-turn, and come back to him.

Years ago, I was introduced to a retired missionary from Africa who was responsible for translating scripture into a specific tribal language. I asked him what the most difficult word to translate was. Without hesitation, he answered, "Repent."The tribe he served didn't have a word for U-turn. He spent two years with them, then one day, he was invited to share a seat next to the tribal chief. During the meal, the chief called his son to him and sent him to do a chore. As the boy was walking away, the chief called to his son and said a word the missionary had not heard before. "Pen-ddu-ka!" And the boy turned around and came right back to his father. When the missionary asked the chief what "pen-du-ka" meant, the chief explained it was a word only a father could speak. It literally meant, "Come back, child, to your chief/father." This became the word the missionary used for repentance.