I will never forget the days, many years ago now, when I turned back to God. In the remaining season of the Jesus Movement, Jan and I connected with a fellowship filled with people who loved God. I can remember the feeling of coming alive. I had a hunger to be taught the Scriptures and to search them out for myself. It was a refreshing time. 

Some of us need to feel that refreshment once again. Tired and formulaic religion cannot provide it. Religious structures and systems cannot provide it. Young or old, age itself does not make a difference. 

What Peter instructed in his day is what he would say to us today. To those who had just witnessed the miraculous healing of a man who had been crippled from birth, he said: “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.” Then he continues: “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (Acts 3:16, 19-20).

The principle of repenting and turning to God, followed by His cleansing and refreshment, is a lifelong practice. We need repeated refreshment, like we need plenty of water each day. If we recognize we are thirsty, we are already dehydrated. 

We are not good at seeing our true condition—the depth of our deception and brokenness. If we go searching and try to clean ourselves up, we become self-focused, self-absorbed, and self-defeated. But when we turn and focus on God, we can be safe enough to ask Him to search our hearts and identify any obstacle in opposition to Him. He will answer our request. 

We must be willing to see and repent. And to humbly, gratefully, simply receive His new, fresh mercies. When we obey, He will act on our behalf—and everything changes. He cleanses us, removes the weight of our sin, and purifies us. And the pure in heart will see Him. 

The more we see Him and experience His glory-presence, the more we are drawn to Him. Everything pales in comparison. Embraced in grace, we stay near to His heart—listening, watching—learning to live freely and lightly.