{RE:} Repent & Be Refreshed!

March 31st, 2022

Friday: Repent & Be Refreshed!

We are at the end of week 4! As we move closer to Easter, let's resist the urge to rush toward the celebration and remain in this Lenten journey a bit longer. We are all longing for a season of refreshing and revival, so let's continue preparing our hearts and minds together!

Read: Acts 3:17-20

"And now, friend, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.

Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out,
so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord..."
(NRSV)

Reflect:

Before this passage, Peter is preaching a fiery sermon to a religious crowd about how they were responsible for the death of God's son. (I'm not sure how that would be received on a Sunday morning in 2022!!) Peter tells them that he knows they acted in ignorance - in other words, they didn't know or recognize that Jesus was the Messiah.

The prophets had been promising a Messiah for generations, how could they have missed Jesus with all his healing and miracles and teaching? The reality is that many of God's people were looking for a military conquest and a new King, they missed Jesus because they were looking in places of power while Jesus was dining with outcasts.

Even now, we sometimes look to the wrong things to save us. Take time to think about where you look for security, happiness, fulfillment, identity, etc away from God.
Do you think there are ways that you might miss seeing Jesus because of those things?

Peter calls the people to repent - to stop and rethink everything, to turn around and change paths, to return to God. Like the prophets in the Old Testament, he is reminding them that it is never too late to turn back to God who is filled with steadfast love for his creation!

When they repent, Peter promises times of refreshing that will come from the presence of the Lord! Repentance causes us to move in a new direction, to see the world and ourselves in a different way. Repentance leads to refreshing.

Do you need refreshing? What parts of your life need a new start or a fresh wind?
Take time this morning in God's presence. Sit silently and wait for the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring refreshing - new vision, new direction, new passion...

Respond:

Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbour,
where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict.

Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can always see the right direction in which I should go.
And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring hardship and danger
in your name we shall find comfort and peace.

Basil of Caesarea, 329-379

5 Comments

Add Your Comment

Nick Tebordo - April 1st, 2022 at 4:33am

It is incredible to me that Basil wrote those words in the fourth century! I love the imagery of "safe harbor" in the midst of violent storms. It makes me think of the Maverick City Music song that Matt introduced a month or so ago-

"When the storms out in the ocean and the violent wind gets to blowing' , take me back-all the way back to my First Love". Safe Harbor and times of refreshing are so appealing this morning-a wonderful fruit of repentance. I am learning to work from a place of rest. I am repenting of"workaholism". As Kaitlyn has led us this week, she told us that this repentance stuff can be hard. She is right! But the fruit of repentance can help us find safe harbor to prepare us for the days ahead. Times of refreshing in His presence are gifts from a Father who loves us, a Savior who frees us from sin and shame, and the Spirit who guides us and empowers us!

Becky Thayer - April 1st, 2022 at 4:57am

As I look forward to my retirement, I am asking the Lord for refreshing my direction, my vision and my passions! Me, too... I'm repenting my workaholic lifestyle!!!!

Susan Blais - April 1st, 2022 at 5:01am

I remember one time when I was in the hospital, that they thought I had A heart attack. They took me for a test and I was very unsettled. The gentleman who is doing the test asked me if I wanted headphones, and if I wanted Christian music. I told him that I would like that. When the music started it was song after song about God having control over my life. By the time I finished the test, I felt that I had God's assurance that he had me in his hands and had full control of my life. What began as a very unsettling time ended up being a wonderful time of refreshment. Today I am having a cardiac catheter, and music or not, I am assured that God will be with me. No matter what the outcome, I will have gods "Blessed assurance".

David Edelstein - April 1st, 2022 at 5:55am

Your faith is inspiring. Prayers for your procedure today. Last night before bed, I should not have been checking my work emails. But I did and one from a provider agency had a tone of arrogance and I became angry. While I bed, I knew my anger would keep up from resting. I prayed that the Lord would open my eyes and let me see the situation from His perspective. Soon enough He answered my prayer and I was resting comfortably.

Melody - April 1st, 2022 at 8:00am

So many good things can get in the way of my relationship with God, even things I consider huge blessings, like my family and my work. But like David said, if I stay in work mode even though I'm off the clock, I definitely lose sleep.

This reminds me of the Psalm that says the righteous will rest well... Maybe I've been reading that wrong, thinking it means if I don't sleep well, I'm not a child of God.

Maybe instead it means that when I rely on God, he gives me peace of mind, which leads to good rest, then to refreshing.