#DailyDevotion God Is Offering You A Chance To Change Your Mind And Your Direction
Monday Easter 3
Acts 3:17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,…”
Jesus said from the cross, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” And so Peter reminds them of this. They acted in ignorance as well as their rulers. Jesus had to be crucified, buried and resurrected. The Law and the Prophets foretold it. God had planned it. It had to fulfilled. God would use their evil hearts and intentions to accomplish their salvation and our salvation. Now Peter could just bang their heads over this fact and leave them in a lurch of despair but he doesn’t.
He offers to them Christ crucified for them and for us. Repent, that is change your minds and turn back to God. They needed and we need to have our minds corrected and reoriented from our sinful selves and desires to God’s mind and desires. The cross makes that happen. It shows us the love God has for them and for us. It shows us the selflessness of God and how God is dedicated to us. If the Lord our God acts in such a way in Christ Jesus then we can turn to him and have our minds changed and conformed to his mind and ways.
When that happens we can receive the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. It is a great relief to know God is on our side. Even in the very midst of our sins, even smack dab when we think God is against us and hates us, we can look to Jesus and know God’s mind and will towards us. That mind and will is love and forgiveness. If we believe this it is our present possession. The World, Satan and even your own Flesh may try to convince you otherwise. They will tell you God hates you. If God loves you why does he let all this terrible stuff happen. You must have done something wrong.
Well yes you have done something wrong. The fact is you’ve done a whole lot of something wrong. But all these things are calling us to have faith in Jesus. These things are there from God to purify and strengthen our faith. Not because he hates us but because he loves us. We can be certain of that. All we need to do is look to Jesus and see that. In Jesus, God does not reject us. At the appointed time, the Father will once again send Jesus Christ who was appointed for you to raise you from the dead or change your mortal bodies into immortal ones. Then you will see and experience with your own eyes and flesh the love the Father has for you. In the meantime, continually look to Jesus on the cross and there have your mind changed and have your direction turned from yourself to the love of God and love of your neighbor.
Heavenly Father, grant unto us repentance and a change of mind so we may see your great love for us in your Son Jesus Christ so we may experience your refreshment now and in the world to come. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.