“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19 NKJV

Be refreshed in the presence of the Lord. He leadeth me beside the still waters…

Sometimes as I read the Bible (even though I know I’ve probably read this verse many times before) just a “turn of phrase” speaks to my heart. Perhaps it resonates with how I’m feeling that day or perhaps, I just see it in a different way.

This verse is actually from the account of Peter and John who healed a man, lame from birth, at the Beautiful gate to the temple. The man begs for alms and Peter claims that he has neither silver nor gold, but what he does he will give him. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Acts 3:6b Peter reaches down, takes the man by the hand, and lifts him up. The man leaps up and walks into the Temple with Peter and John, praising God as he goes. As they arrive, people gather round in amazement and Peter begins to explain.

Short diversion, back to point. What caught my heart and captured my mind was that “times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Wow! We all need to be refreshed in the Lord. I remember the moments I was saved and then baptized. The feelings of love, power, joy, excitement, thankfulness, and that amazing grace personally given by God – to me!

Sometimes as I read my Bible in the morning, I am simply reading through it, it is another “to do” on my daily list. I’m not really actively involved in the reading.  And today, as I am calmly reading in Acts, I catch the word refreshed. And I am now focused on a refreshing from the presence of the Lord!

I want to be refreshed. I need to feel the presence of the Lord. I desire to be restored to that moment when God was so real and personal and offered me grace. I would love to leap like the lame man who was healed. I thank Jesus again for giving His life for mine. I close my eyes and spend a few excited moments in prayer.

Heavenly Father God,

As I read Your Word, let me be surrounded by Your presence, let me be perceptive to Your will, let me be refreshed in Your spirit, let me be restored in Your strength, let me be made anew in Your grace, and let me be enlivened with Your guidance.

Thank You for the blessing of Your refreshing.

Amen.

This week let’s ask God for His loving, all-encompassing, eternal, and holy presence to refresh us, to restore us, and to reanimate our lives for His purpose.

I thank God for each of you! And I thank you for joining me this week as we are refreshed in the presence of the Lord.