TURN

This week, our lesson is “TURN”.  This falls under principle 3, and step 3 in our recovery.

 Principle 3:  Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.

Matthew 5:5 “Happy are the meek.”

Step 3:  We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship.”

This lesson brings to my mind a scripture in the book of Acts that I would like to comment on.    Acts 3:19 ^“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” New International Version (NIV)

Peter is preaching to those who are not following God, and he says to “Repent”.  This means to “think differently”.  That thinking is not just something to ponder in your mind, but a change in thinking, that leads to a change of direction (behavior).  The direction then is to “turn toward God”.  Our actions, outside of God’s will for our lives, lead us away from God.  Those actions bring guilt, alienation, estrangement, hardship and heart ache.    Repentance, then, leads us to God. This results in the release of guilt and the returning of joy.  As we do this, our offence, or sin, is obliterated, blotted out, and wiped away.  This in ancient times referred to the wiping away of ink.  This enables God to do what He wants for every individual- “refreshing”!  Literally, this is a recovery of breath, i.e. (figuratively) revival.  This is a returning of peace in our lives, and of satisfaction in our lives.  These verses refer to showers of blessing in Ezekiel 34:26, Isaiah 44:3, Joel 2:26.  This comes from the Lord.  That is from God, Our Lord, Master, our supreme authority.

God brings about an abundance of refreshing to those who recognize their sin, and waywardness, and change their minds and behavior to embrace God and His ways.  My prayer for you is that you would realize the goodness of God, and His ability to give you an abundant life, and that you would repent, and return in order that God may give you His BEST!

 

-Alan