Eye to Eye

The month of March is about to go out like a lion. It's been very breezy. Ok, maybe down right windy! Doesn't the wind sort of unnerve? Standing on the lake shore with a huge dust bowl racing across the lake makes fishermen duck their heads and pack it in. The fish surely dive to the bottom. Tree limbs clutter the yard and mean extra work.

What about a nice cool breeze on a hot day? Now, that's a different sensation than the dust laden cloud that infiltrates every nook and cranny of wherever it lands. The Bible talks about a continual fresh breeze that renews and refreshes. It's like that fresh gentle breeze on your face.

Acts 3:19 - "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of The Lord."

In this passage, a man had been leaping and praising God for his healing. As the man clung to Peter and John in gratitude, it drew quite a crowd. Peter used the opportunity to talk about the refreshing of the presence of The Lord. He reminded the people of what they had just done to Jesus - death, burial and the fact of the resurrection. The people, having witnessed the recent events with Jesus and then the healing of this man, were challenged to agree with God's thoughts (repent) and turn from their sins, so that these times of refreshing would come from the presence of The Lord.

The picture of "times of refreshing" looks like a continual fresh breeze. Its a renewing kind of breath rather than the kind that chafes against you. It's good to note that the refreshing comes not with all the doing, but when we come into the presence of the Lord.

"Presence" literally means "that part of anything which is turned or presented to the eye of another". It's an eye-to-eye action. Often couples can catch the eye of their spouse from across the room and they "know that look". Parents often have that connection with their children. These experiences take time to develop and become clearer with experience. The presence (eye to eye) of the Lord is a face to face gaze where looking at the Father brings the realization that He has always been trying to catch your eye. When the gazes meet, the gentle breeze of refreshing is experienced. The Father's gaze opens the floodgates of refreshing breezes to the person who is eye to eye with Him.

It's March. How about letting the Lion of Judah, the Great I AM, the One who holds the world together with his very breath, catch your eye and breathe refreshing over you?

Why not risk and take a look for Him? Has He caught your eye yet?

Father, sometimes its hard for me to look You in the eye. I know myself; I guess You do too for that matter. Remind me repentance is a good thing and the result means I can open my eyes and catch Your eye. As the season around me is renewing and refreshing, how I long for Your times of refreshing. As I meet Your eye, I trust for Your refreshing breeze over my life. March could end in a very special way . . .