Thursday, October 23, 2025

The meaning of "turn to God"

You say turn to God in repentance, and have faith in the Lord Jesus. What does turn to God mean? GOD IS not visible, knowable, approachable, then how can one turn to God?

That’s an excellent and profound question — one that lies at the heart of faith itself.
Let’s unfold it carefully.

1. What “turn to God” means
In Scripture, “turning to God” (Greek: epistrephō) means a change of direction — a turning away from self-centeredness, sin, or false gods, and turning toward the living God as the new center and source of life.
It’s not merely a physical act (since God is invisible), but a movement of the heart, mind, and will toward Him.

Acts 26:20 — Paul says he preached “that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.”

Isaiah 55:7 — “Let the wicked forsake his way... let him turn to the LORD, and He will have mercy.”

So, turning to God is an inward turning — a reorientation of our life’s direction from independence to dependence on Him.

2. “God is not visible, knowable, or approachable” — then how can one turn to Him?

This is precisely the tension that the Bible addresses. God is invisible in essence (“no one has seen God,” John 1:18), but He has made Himself knowable in two primary ways:

a. Through Creation and Conscience
Romans 1:19–20 says that what may be known about God is plain, for “His invisible attributes—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made.”

And Romans 2:15 adds that human conscience bears witness to His moral law.
So, a person can begin to “turn to God” by responding to the inner and outer signs of His reality — the pull of truth, goodness, beauty, and moral awareness.

b. Through Jesus Christ
Jesus bridges the gap between the invisible and the visible.
John 14:9 — “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”
Hebrews 1:3 — “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.”

So, turning to God now means coming to Jesus, trusting and following Him, because through Him we actually encounter the living God.

3. In practice
Turning to God involves:
Acknowledging: recognizing we have lived apart from Him.
Desiring: wanting His life and ways to be ours.
Trusting: placing our confidence in Christ as God’s visible presence and Savior.
Walking: beginning to live differently — as one who belongs to God.
This is why repentance (“turning from”) and faith (“turning to”) are not two separate acts but one movement — away from self, toward God in Christ.

Would you like me to show how this inner turning might look in a short prayer or reflection (as Paul might have meant it)?

Here is a short reflection and prayer expressing that inner movement — turning to God through faith in Christ:

Reflection: Turning to the Invisible God
Though I cannot see You, Lord,
my heart senses Your nearness.
I have walked many paths of my own choosing,
seeking light, yet finding shadows.
Now I turn — not with my eyes,
but with my heart — toward You,
the unseen Source of all truth and love.
You have made Yourself known in Jesus,
the image of the invisible God.
In Him I see Your mercy, Your compassion,
Your power to forgive and make new.
So I turn — away from self-reliance,
away from the noise of pride —
and I turn toward You,
trusting that in Christ,
I am not far from Your heart.

Prayer
Lord God, though You are unseen, You are not unknown.
Through Jesus Christ You have revealed Your face and opened Your arms.
I turn to You now — not just in word, but in the longing of my soul.
Receive me as I am; forgive what is broken;
fill me with Your Spirit, that I may live in Your light and truth.
Help me walk each day as one who belongs to You,
until faith becomes sight and I see You face to face.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Would you like me to create a morning and evening version of this — short meditations for daily use in your prayer time?

Wonderful — here are two brief, meditative versions of the same truth:
one for morning (to begin the day by turning toward God),
and one for evening (to return your heart to rest in Him).

🌅 Morning Meditation — Turning to God Anew
Scripture:
“Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” — Isaiah 44:22

Reflection:
At dawn, I turn again toward the invisible yet living God.
Though I cannot see His form, I see His fingerprints —
in the light, the breath, the stillness before the day begins.
Today I turn my heart to Him in trust.
Christ is my bridge to the unseen Father;
in His mercy I find my way home.

Prayer:
Lord, awaken my heart to Your presence this morning.
Let every thought begin in You,
every word carry Your grace,
and every step follow Your light.
I turn to You, unseen yet near,
and place this day in Your hands.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

🌙 Evening Meditation — Returning to the Heart of God
Scripture:
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” — James 4:8

Reflection:
As the day folds into silence, I turn once more to the One who never turned away.
My body rests, but my soul looks upward —
seeking the peace of the unseen Father who knows and loves me.
Through Jesus, the doorway to eternity stands open.
I need not see Him to know that I am seen.
Prayer:
Lord, I return to You this evening.
Cleanse what was careless, heal what was wounded,
and breathe Your peace into what is restless within me.
Let my sleep be a quiet turning toward You,
until the dawn finds me again in Your light.
Through Christ, my Lord, Amen.
Would you like me to make these into a printable card or daily reflection sheet (for bedside or devotional use), perhaps with a simple design and verse layout?

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