Repentance: Grieving that i am a habitual sinner.

Here is a poem that gives voice to that deep, raw, and holy state of repentance.

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The Garments of My Grief

I have sinned. The weight of it,a stone upon my chest, A bitter turning from my only rest. And now remorse,a keen and constant pain, A pouring forth of guilt like acid rain.

So I take sackcloth, rough and bleak and gray, And clothe myself in ashes from the day. I tear the tunic of my former pride, And let no comfort in my heart abide.

This is the outer sign of inner ache, The soul's deep cry,for its own goodness' sake. The fabric torn,a mirror to the soul, Now rend your heart,and make the broken whole.

But these are just the garments of my grief, They bring no true or lasting,sure relief. They are the cry,but not the answering word, They are the wound,but not the healing heard.

The sacrifice desired is not this, A broken spirit, stripped of all its bliss. A heart contrite, O God, You will not despise, Beneath the tears,You see the pleading eyes.

So I bring You the pieces of my shirt, The sackcloth stained with desert and with dirt. I bring the sorrow,and the shame, and all, And on Your mercy,let my remnants fall.

For You alone can mend the torn apart, And trade this sackcloth for a brand new heart. You take the ashes,and from them, You bring The oil of joy,the garment of the King.

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The Scripture Weaved Within:

This poem draws from the deep biblical tradition of repentance, expressed through outward signs that must reflect a true inner change.

· The Actions:

  · Sackcloth and Ashes: A universal sign of mourning and repentance in the ancient world (Jonah 3:6, Esther 4:1, Daniel 9:3).

  · Tearing one's clothes: An expression of ultimate grief and distress (Joshua 7:6, 2 Kings 19:1).

· The Heart's Cry:

  · Psalm 51:17: "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." This is the core truth—the external signs are meaningless without the internal reality.

  · Joel 2:13: "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love." This is the prophetic call that moves beyond ritual to relationship.

The poem moves from the outward expression of grief to the understanding that God's desire is not for perpetual mourning, but for a heart that truly turns to Him. The end is a prayer for the exchange only He can make: our ashes for His beauty, our mourning for His joy, our sackcloth for a robe of righteousness.