Begin with 2 minutes of stillness and silence before God.

When we hear the word “repent,” most people would probably associate it with the phrase, “I’m sorry, God”. Which isn’t a bad thing, it’s just that there is so much more to repentance than telling God that you are sorry. When we read verses 19 and 20, we see that repentance is a multifaceted act. Not only are we confessing something to God, but we also are given a direction to go in and a gift to live with.

Verse 19 says, “Repent therefore, and turn back,”. Some translations say, “Turn to God" or “Be converted”. This essentially means to flee to God. Run to Him as a refuge from the ways of the world and our flesh. There is a call to action here in Scripture to not take a passive approach to our sin but to turn in the complete opposite direction and run towards God! It is a complete shift in how we view our sin and the world.

Next, it says that when we repent, our sins will be blotted out, the slate wiped clean. During Peter’s time, they wrote on what was called papyrus. Papyrus didn’t absorb ink very well, so one was able to take a damp cloth and wipe the ink from the surface of the page. This is what Jesus does when we recognize our sins and are connected to the godly grief through repentance. He blots out our record of wrong.

Finally, verse 20 mentions a time of refreshing. While Peter is speaking about the time when Jesus returns because of the nation of Israel’s repentance, it is important to remember that we are still able to be refreshed by the presence of God here and now. When we align our hearts and minds with the heart of God, we are met with the refreshment of His promises!

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• When you hear the word repentance, does it have a positive or negative connotation?
  
• What do you believe the Lord wants you to repent of?
  
• Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for who You are and for loving me despite my sin. Help me become more sensitive to my sin and recognize when I have sinned against You and others. Convict my heart of the sin I didn’t even know was there. I pray for the strength and discipline to turn away from my sin and run toward You. In Jesus’ name, amen.