Times of Refreshment
Most of us have felt the satisfying relief that comes from having a cold iced tea or a delicious ice cream on a hot, sultry day. Or we've taken a refreshing swim in a cool ocean or lake and felt relief from the searing heat and humidity of an mid-summer's day. Coming into an air conditioned room from the hot sun or to stand beneath the canopy of a shade tree can bring relief from the oppressive heat. These are times of refreshment we all look for and appreciate.
Peter spoke of another kind of time of refreshment that comes from God. He said, "Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19). Here in the book of Acts, Peter delivers a speech to the crowd in which he tells them how they can get relief from the burden of their sins and the searing, penetrating guilt that those sins bring. The crowd had witnessed a miracle where Peter, through the Holy Spirit, healed a paralyzed man. The response of the people was one of surprise and wonder.
Peter then addresses the crowd and asks them why they marvel at such power. Did they know God at all-the very Creator of the universe? Had they forgotten the Lord who led their ancestors out of the bondage of Egypt and through the desert with many wonders and miracles? It would seem so since they either didn't know the Lord of heaven and earth or they had lost a vision of God and of His wonderful grace and awesome, even terrible power. Peter confronts them with their ignorance and sin.
They had been caught up in the culture of the day which had crucified the Lord of Creation. They didn't recognize their Savior because they had forgotten the scriptures that told of His coming among men, His mighty acts and healing power. He had come to show them God incarnate, God in the flesh but they were so preoccupied with themselves that they didn't know who He was. In their sight Jesus had been another preacher, a trouble maker, a non-conformist and a thorn in the side of the authorities. To these people the ancient prophecies had become myths for bedtime storytelling times and nothing more. Spiritual things weren't important to them so they became blind because of their indifference to their true condition.
They had neglected the things of God in the midst of their daily routines, and therefore, were ignorant of God's working among them to bring salvation. They may have killed the Son of God, but Peter and John demonstrated God's work continued and flowed through them in spite of man's effort to stop the work of redemption.
Peter instructs the people what they are to do to experience their own inner healing, their own times of refreshment. It involved changing their mindset and their attitudes. For too long they had become immersed in their culture so that their spiritual nature had become desensitized, not unlike folks today who think religion is out moded, a thing of the past. Peter exhorts them to recognize they are sinners who are in need of saving and that they must turn to God in humbleness and repentence if they want to experience the wonderful times of refreshment and power of the living God within themselves.
When one approaches God with a right attitude and a self knowledge of one's true condition, there comes an inner transformation from having been in the presence of Almighty God. We are never the same again--we are changed, healed, renewed, like the crippled man that Peter and John healed that day. It's a miracle that is repeated every day in the lives of people who surrender themselves to the power of Jesus Christ. People can be invalids -- spiritual cripples -- and not even realize it. When our attitudes are not Christ-like, when bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, indifference, apathy or any other sin overtakes us, we become blind and spiritually crippled. It's only when we examine ourselves, honestly confronting our obsessive self-absorption that justifies our sins, then we begin to see -- to truly see the truth about our brokenness and state of our souls without Christ. There are too many Christians walking around today who think more highly of themselves than they ought. They hold grudges, criticize, blame others and justify themselves when they should be looking inward to see the root of their problems and the attitudes they have are within their hearts and minds and the results of the choices they've made.
Times of refreshment can come only when we turn to the Lord who brings relief to us, not just spiritually but physically and emotionally as well. Jesus is in the business of healing the whole person, not just a part. As the summer months bring the heat and humidity which cause us all to seek relief for our bodies, let us also seek relief for our burdened spirits by turning to the Lord each day and allow Him to bring us times of refreshment for our stifled souls.
Nothing else will do.
Blessings,
Mary, Web Editor
