stephen R Harrison

JOY 365: Day 21

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. – Acts 3:19

As our staff met for prayer this morning, we read Acts 3. We are reading a chapter a week together and using that as our foundation for prayer. Peter and John are in a rhythm of going to the temple to pray and see a guy they’ve seen many times before. On that day, God healed the lame man. What a miracle! It gave Peter the opportunity to share the gospel as he didn’t take credit for the healing but pointed all who were there and knew the healed man to Christ. It made me think, “How many times have I not taken the opportunity to point people to Jesus? How many times have I taken credit for what God has done?” 

As Peter preached, he asked those who heard to do something foundational to the gospel. He said, “Repent, then, turn to God”. Then, “sins would be wiped out” AND “times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” What freedom those who turned to Christ would receive! What forgiveness and refreshment! That’s the joy of the Lord! All who turn to Christ will miraculously spiritually pass from death to life and be made brand new in Christ. Not to downplay it, but that’s a bigger miracle than being able to walk any day. What an eternal reward!

It made me think about the gift of repentance. It seems that the rhythm of prayer in spending time with God leads us to draw near to him, confess sin, and repent of sin. That would bring the joy of the Lord! If we stay in regular rhythm with God, he will bring about the miraculous. He will produce refreshment and joy. May faithful rhythms in your presence bring refreshment! 

Where do you need to repent so that refreshment may come?