Tuesday, May 22

A Refreshing New Start

Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.

The heart of this reading comes in this phrase, "Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord..." For many, repentance seems anything but refreshing. It comes with heartache and pain, with self-doubt and reluctant acceptance. But it is only through this turning away from sin and turning toward God that a refreshing new life can come to us. When we shed our old ways and turn toward God, we can experience a renewal that washes over us, giving us a clean start and a new perspective. 

Narrative Lectionary Text: Acts 3:17-26

“And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, 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, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. 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. And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.’ And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. 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.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”