“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.” Acts 3:19-20
Heavenly Father, what a revolutionary notion: Through the gift of repentance, you bring us into “times of refreshing”—not into a state of shame, indefinite probation, or hole to dig ourselves out of. Because repentance shaped and fueled by the Gospel isn’t us making promises to you; it’s you saying to us, “Jesus is enough.” You have made him our “righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). There is no better news.
The gift of repentance enables us to see, own, and grieve the ways we have loved poorly, hurt others, and robbed you of glory. Indeed, sin kills kindness and sabotages intimacy, even as it fuels pride and hardens hearts. That’s not who we want to be, Father.
Since your grace runs downhill, we gladly take the low place on this Thursday. You give grace to the humble, but you resist the proud. Only second to robbing you of glory, do we want to experience your resistance, Father. So, as your no-longer-condemned, but freshly-convicted daughters and sons, to whom would you send us today in repentant faith? Irrespective of their response, free us to repent as unto you.
Some answers to this prayer are very clear to us. We know where we’ve “bowed our backs,” but now need to bend our knees in humility and repentance. But also convict us of the relationships we’d rather avoid till heaven. Bring times of refreshing, Abba—deep, sweet, Jesus-honoring times of refreshing. So Very Amen.