Times of Refreshing

Mama and her ducklings 

"Therefore repent and return...

My foot-loose and fancy free grand-princess

so that your sins may be wiped away...

"Bluebirds" photo by my Rebecca

in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord!" (Acts 3:19)

       One day, many years ago as the mother of three, whining preschoolers, I totally lost my temper and yelled, "Shut up!" Immediately, I was drenched with God's conviction from the crown of my head to the tips of my toenails, and those angry words have never crossed my lips again.

           After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, he penned, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:2,10,12).

           At the sound of the rooster's crow, Peter went out and wept in bitter repentance for denying Jesus three times. Afterwards,   however, Jesus used Peter to build His church!

           Rev. C. H. Kilmer once said, "Repentance was perhaps best defined by a small girl, 'It's to be sorry enough to quit.'"

         When the children of God sin, we are made sorrowful by the Holy Spirit of God, according to the will of God, for the purpose of repentance and restoration. "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

          Got sin? Confess, repent, and be free! Ahhhhhhh...sweet  times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord!

"Butterfly" - photo by my Rebecca