Times of Refreshing

Acts 3:17  "And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18  In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19  Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, 20  so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, 21  who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. 22  Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. 23  And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.' 24  And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. 25  You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, 'And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26  When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

Luke describes the Apostle Peter teaching that “times of refreshing… come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:20). This is wonderfully evocative language. When we spend time in God’s presence we can find our lives refreshed. This reminds me of a river that is drying up into stagnant pools of water. Then the rains come, and the river is revived, and when it flows it cleans out the pools, refreshing the water and bringing new life.

Pray today to be refreshed. This might involve asking the Spirit of God to clean out some dark places in your life; this might be the Spirit topping up your dwindling reserves; and this might be an infusion of new life-giving Spiritual strength where you are becoming dry.

Let Your living water flow over my soul,
Let your Holy Spirit come and take control,
Of every situation that has troubled my mind,
All my cares and burdens on to you I roll……

(Lyrics: Jimmy Swaggart)

Second Sunday after Trinity

32 God’s Gracious  Love

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 202.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.