Uncle Albert – Lyrics by Paul McCartney

We’re so sorry, Uncle Albert
We’re so sorry if we caused you any pain
We’re so sorry, Uncle Albert
But there’s no one left at home
And I believe I’m gonna rain

We’re so sorry but we haven’t heard a thing all day
We’re so sorry, Uncle Albert
But if anything should happen we’ll be sure to give a ring

This is not repentance, not even close, yet in an odd way it is how many repent.

“I am sorry Lord, forgive me. If it should happen again, I’ll be back.”

2 Corinthians 7:10 English Standard Version (ESV) For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Repentance that is not painful to the heart of man produces no change in behavior. It is a worldly sorrow that says I do not want to get caught, so I will be more careful next time not to get caught. That doesn’t work for God.

Hebrews 4:12 English Standard Version (ESV) For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Acknowledgement of wrong in the mind is meaningless without a change of heart. So often we think of repentance as changing direction, turning back to God and ignore what led us to go astray in the first place.