In John 16:33 we read: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

In his book No Night Too Dark Steve Halliday describes what he calls turnabout experiences. He revises the old maxim, "Turnabout is fair play." He shows how turnabout is often God's play. What he means is that God excels at taking life's tragedies and shaping them into strategic triumphs.

I. Turnabout.

Let me share an example of turnabout from Halliday's book. He tells of sitting in seminary chapel one day in 1986 when an old, gnarled man, obviously in great pain approached the front of the auditorium. He slowly lowered himself into a chair and began to tell many stories of God's gracious providence in the face of religious persecution.

For nearly an hour this man gave details of the agonizing cruelties that he and his comrades suffered under the brutal communist regime as they languished in dark, dank prison cell. Yet, through all of this he had managed to stay focused on the high and holy one. He had prayed that some day, after his release, he would be able to return to his homeland to share Christ with his captors.

This man was the Romanian pastor, Richard Wurmbrand, who wrote the book, Tortured for Christ. The turnabout obviously began when Wurmbrand did have the opportunity to return to his homeland after the collapse of the iron curtain. He discovered that a Christian bookstore had opened and he was asked if he would like to visit it. As he walked into a room stuffed with books, he suddenly realized that this very place had previously been his prison cell! He began to dance for joy recognizing God at work in this delightful turnabout.

God is at work, seeking to give us peace, even in the midst of tribulation and circumstances that are not peaceful. Yes, turnabout is often God's play, turning tragedies into triumphs.

Today, we begin the 2010 season of Lent. During Lent we are often encouraged to consider what our Lord did for us the final days that He lived upon the earth prior to His death. Jesus knew what was coming as He gave these teachings to His friends. He wanted them to be prepared, but not crippled with fear. Certainly this was an intense, serious, important time. Jesus was going to lay down His life for the sins of all of humankind who would come to Him with sincere repentance.

Jesus did bear the agony of our sins and died for us, but it became the greatest example of turnabout as He turned what could have looked like the greatest tragedy into a fantastic triumph and rose from the dead.

II. Repentance.

The turnabout that God desires in our lives is our repentance, our turning around, away from sin. Lent, the season that begins today is to be characterized by an emphasis on repentance. Literally, to repent means to turn around and go in a different direction. When you and I commit a sin, we are to confess it, and to repent, to turn away from sin toward righteous living. This pleases God, not just during Lent, but always. It is, however, helpful for many people to have these special reminders of our need to repent. Look away from sin and to our wonderful Savior and the way of life to which He calls us.

Some see Lent as a special time of self denial, giving up something they enjoy for these six weeks, to focus more completely on their Lord. Our Lord however, may turn these around into great blessings that we might not expect.

After Jesus spent these final days with His disciples, seeking to prepare them for His death, He did in fact die. Of course, we know that His death was to take the punishment for sin that each of us deserve. The greatest turnabout of history that makes possible other turnabouts for God was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died, but rose from the dead. Because of this fantastic fact, each of us who come to Christ with repentance can share in that turnabout. We remember Christ's agony and death for us, but also His victory.

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