Times of Refreshing
January 4, 2024 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
Are you weary as this new year begins? I consistently hear from people that they are busy, tired, spread-thin, needing a break, and, even, weary. Perhaps this is just the post-holiday malaise, but for most people, this sense of weariness is ongoing. For some it stems from personal circumstances; for others, it is the events of our nation and world that weigh heavy on one’s soul; for most, it is the “normal” life that just naturally fills every spare moment of our calendars.
So, how do we restore and maintain healthy energy? We are called to love God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength; we don’t want to be too weary to love God, do we? Therefore, how one renews his strength is one of the most important tasks for a Christian.
The apostle Peter gives a beautiful promise in Acts 3. He speaks of “times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.” This is the only place in the New Testament that the noun “refreshing” is used. Peter uses it as a blessing that comes from Christ. Peter knows that it has been the universal experience of humans since the Fall to be weary. It is only in Christ that “times of refreshing” may come to us.
Consider Peter’s full statement in Acts 3:19-20, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.” The logical structure is fairly simple. Peter gives two, parallel commands: repent and turn back. Then he specifies three results that come from obedience to the commands: 1. Sins are blotted out; 2. Times of refreshing come; and 3. Christ may be sent (speaking of the promised Second Coming). The Greek grammar clarifies that the two results in verse 20 flow subsequently from the result of verse 19. To make this explicit, Peter calls the crowd in Jerusalem to repent their sins. As a result of repentance, the people can be assured that their sins will be blotted out, that is, forgiven. Once their sin is forgiven, they can be assured that they will enjoy times of refreshing and can look forward to the Second Coming of Christ with joy.
Why take so much time looking at the grammatical logic of Peter’s statement in Acts 3? Because there is valuable truth in the grammar. Repentance brings times of refreshing in our lives because repentance naturally, because of the gospel, results in the forgiveness of sins.
Think about it. When we want to be refreshed or rejuvenated, what do we normally think will result in refreshment? Food? Drink? Time off from work? Vacation? Time doing a favorite activity? The American Dream and the advertisement industry says, “Yes!” to all of these options. In a nutshell, all of these options put “me” first. It’s all about “me-time.”
The gospel turns all of that upside down. Peter does not say, “Put yourself first and then you will receive times of refreshing.” No. The call to repent and turn back is a call to deny oneself and turn to Christ. In the words of Augustine, the call to repent is the call to reorder our loves with Christ first in our hearts. Augustine said that all sin results from disordered loves. With this in mind, we can understand that the call to repent is not a flat condemnation of “me-time” (it is okay to go on vacation and enjoy your favorite hobby), but it is a call to reorder the loves of our life and keep Christ preeminent in our hearts. For it is from Christ that the times of refreshing come.
As you start the new year, take some time to evaluate what refreshes and energizes you. Go ahead and put repentance at the top of the list. Only Christ will bring true, deep refreshing to your soul. Let nothing else take that preeminent spot in your heart. This is the gospel way.
