Peter calls all to Repent

PRAYER PRACTICE

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.

DAILY READING

Acts 2:25-41

DEVOTION / REFLECTION

The Gift

by Jennifer Jerrome

Those who’ve read my reflections know I tend to explore specific phrases or verses from the passage and today those verses include 27 and 31…

²⁷ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    you will not let your holy one see decay.

 

³¹ Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.

 

Jesus is miraculous in many ways, but the greatest is that despite his death, he “was not abandoned to the realm of the dead.” Death had no hold over him. His body saw no decay.

Now when we die, our bodies will crumble because we are dust and to dust we shall return.  We won’t meet our friends on the roadside or appear in an upper room like he did, but we will share in the Father’s promises. We too are promised the gift of the Spirit and what a gift it is!    

³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

As modern-day followers, we’ve never had the opportunity to walk alongside the human Jesus, but we have been given the Holy Spirit just as Joel prophesied, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people” (2:28).

Although we may not be raised up in the same way as Jesus, we will share in the same Spirit, so today I want to thank God for this wonderful gift.  May we acknowledge the hope and peace that the Spirit can bring.

While our bodies will see decay for a while, death is not our final destiny. Even in the face of death we trust in the promises of Jesus, looking forward to His return and to the resurrection He has promised us. To read in Scripture where we are promised resurrection, read through 1 Corinthians 15. Thank God for the gift of His Spirit in this life, and resurrection in the life to come!

Thank you, Father, for a new dawn.  Each day is an opportunity to live in communion with you and a chance to live out your love. My contentment is found in you. May I continue to live under your protection today and the days to come. Amen