RE-pentance

In yesterday's service, people were asked, 'how many like the word 'repentance''. In both services no one admitted to liking the word. What's up with that?? I actually think the word is a very healthy word and we should welcome it. But then again...how many of us like the words 'healthy', 'exercise', 'discipline'...exactly! I was looking at the word and thinking of other words that begin with 're' - repair, restore, redo, relax, rerun, release. I was focusing on the second part of the word (pair, store, do, lax...) and trying to figure out 'pentance' - no such word. However, it is very closely related to penitent, which is feeling sorry for wrongs or sin. But then I thought about 're'. 'Re' means going back, doing something again and again, a backwards motion.

Repentance is a great word! I mess up all the time and God says to me, I can go back again and again. That when I get caught up in sin, and wake up to the reality that I am offending God and feeling full of regrets, there is an allowance for a backwards motion. I can turn around again and again and REturn to him. What's bad about that??