"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent" (Acts 17:30, New American Standard Bible).
Have you been inside a tunnel before? I remember riding in a car through a tunnel on vacation in Alaska with my parents and a friend. As we approached it, I noticed this tunnel went through a mountain, and I wondered how long it would last. It was cold outside, a sort of biting cold, even though the sun was shining. Once we were inside, it was dark and felt hollow, although there were lights along the sides as guides. It was an interesting experience, but I was relieved to be on the other side in the open air and sunlight again.
Similar to the darkness of the tunnel, sin can make us feel trapped. When we see the damages that come from our sin, we may wonder if there is a way out. The Holy Spirit can help us see sin in our life and see that the way out of it is to turn to God for help. When we turn to God, it is like God is reaching out to pull us into His light.
God sent Jesus to rescue us from sin (Romans 5:19), and He asks us today to repent and return to Him (Acts 3:19). This is a message to all people in all nations (Luke 24:47, Acts 26:19-20). When we believe in Jesus and ask for forgiveness from our sins, He will be faithful to forgive us and will give us the Holy Spirit to help us to walk with Him (Acts 13:38-39). Times of refreshing come from the Lord, as our sins are wiped out and forgiven (Acts 3:20, 26).
Do you know someone who is caught up in sin today? Maybe it is ourselves. Let us pray that others, especially unbelievers, may turn from their sin, too, so they can have a restored relationship with God.
Lord, lead us away from sin. For that person on our mind, the one who does not know you, help them to turn from sin, too, so their sins are forgiven and so they can experience new life with You. Amen.
Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)
Photo from http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/
