How do you experience times of refreshment? When we think about refreshment, it may bring to mind going swimming on a hot day summer day. Others may find refreshment from a novel and pleasurable experience. We may experience refreshment in a variety of ways, but the apostle Peter provides a way for all of us to experience refreshment. As Peter preached to the people, he informed them how they may experience spiritual refreshment:

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19)

Our refreshment starts with two actions – we are to repent and return. The tense of these verbs conveys the following idea “Do this right away, do not delay!” Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of one’s behavior. Repentance is a turn from our sinful ways to a holy God. Peter is calling the people to a conscious choice to make a definite turn to God in mind and behavior. True repentance is a change of mind that is reflected in one’s actions as described by the Apostle Paul:

For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but continually proclaimed to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they are to repent and turn to God, performing deeds consistent with repentance. (Acts 26:19-20)

The result is that our sins would be wiped away. The word sin literally means to miss the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow. The word sin came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. In the Bible this word signifies a departure from God’s holy and perfect standard of what is righteous in word and deed.

The idea of wiping away is to cause something to cease by obliterating or eliminating any evidence. This word is used twice in the book of Revelation as God promised that He will wipe away every tear. The Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, used this word to describe the blotting out or wiping away of our sins.

When we know that our sins have been wiped away, then we can experience times of refreshing from the Lord. The word refreshing literally means the recovery of breath that one might experience as relief after physical exertion. The source of our refreshment is not from us, but from the presence of the Lord.

Believers in Christ can experience times of refreshing by repenting of our sins and returning to God. As we quiet our hearts in times of prayer and Bible engagement, we can experience a peace and joy that renews our spirit. Are you experiencing spiritual refreshment from the Lord?

Rick Higgins

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark