We all have made mistakes in life and wronged someone at some point. It’s a very hard thing to face the person we have wronged. We usually are ridden with guilt or maybe ashamed or angry. Sometimes we feel it’s just easier to walk away and never see that person again.
Acts 3:19-23 (MSG)
19-23 “Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.’
Peter and John had just given what they had to a crippled begging man in front of the temple. They had no money to give but commanded him to rise up and walk in The Name of Jesus and he did! The crowd had gathered and saw this known crippled man leaping around praising God. Peter and John quickly told the crowd that it was not them, but faith in Jesus that had made this man whole. They proceeded to tell the crowd that it was time to change their ways, to turn and face God, so that He could wipe away their sins, pour out blessings on them, refresh and send the Messiah Jesus, prepared for them.
It is hard to turn and face God with the weight of sin in our lives. We feel ashamed of things we have done, judged. Or we may fear that we will be rejected. We may also feel there is just no hope of change so why bother God. However the only hope we have of changing our ways and having our sins wiped away is to turn and face God.
Some of us have a hard time facing ourselves. The reason is that when we look inside ourselves we find God there, in our conscious. So we keep ourselves busy with work, watching the news, hobbies or any other thing to keep us from having to face ourselves and God. What we will find when we do look inside is not what we may think. We will find God pleading with us to turn to Him. He is always there, in all creation, pleading for us to turn to Him so He can restore us to Himself through His Son Jesus.
God is not looking to get even and He is not angry. He is looking to gain sons and daughters. He cared so much for us that He came in the flesh as Jesus and died on a cross for us. He rose from the dead on the third day as the Savior of the world.
God is looking every day and watching for our return! He is a loving Creator and He loves us dearly. So let’s remember this when we are tempted to walk away, give up or give in to defeat. Let’s also go tell others to face God, He’s not mad, He is loving and waiting for their return!