Good morning, everyone.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 3:19, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”
I haven’t heard one in quite some time, but street preachers used to be fairly common a few decades ago. When I was in college, there was a certain location on campus where you would most likely encounter one as you passed by. And what you would hear was probably akin to the message expressed by Peter in today’s passage, with an extra emphasis on turning from wickedness to avoid the wrath and fury of God. In the secular world, repenting and turning back gets applied in a slightly different way. Doctors and gurus and motivational speakers don’t talk about repentance and turning per se, but their terminology sounds more like changing your mind and improving your body. In fact, there are numerous books that include “Change Your Mind, Change Your Body” right in the title. But the world outside the church shouldn’t own the market on this approach. For repentance, as the Bible intends it, is exactly the same as changing one’s mind. As Peter was addressing the crowd who were stunned over his healing of the lame man, he briefly recounted the history of Israel and what they did to Jesus. And his intent was for the Holy Spirit to come along and convict them of the truth of his message and change their mind about what they had done and about who and what Jesus was. And along with their repentance would come a turning from their sin and a turning to the God who called them.
One of those self-improvement books is called Change Your Mind. Change Your Body. Change Your Life. But as possible as that might be, what God has called us to is a change of mind that will redeem our bodies to an eternal life, both now and for eternity. Being healthy, feeling better, and getting in shape are good, but having one’s sins blotted out and living a life pursuing holiness will not eventually succumb to the passage of time as our bodies will. But your mind must truly be changed. As with cheating on a diet, trying to keep the old while sprinkling in the new is of no use. We cannot serve two masters. So if your mind has been changed, turn back whatever you need to turn to face fully in the Savior’s way. That change will do you the most good.
As we seek Him today, get your mind and body and soul attuned to the One who called you out of darkness into light.
Have a delightful Thursday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
