Observation: Peter and John, after Jesus' Resurrection and the mass conversions of Pentecost, heal a physically disabled man in the temple. When an astonished crowd gathers, Peter addresses them all, giving glory to God and retelling the story of Jesus. He exhorts all people to repent--lead a changed life--because Jesus is returning to bring "times of refreshing" and "universal restoration."
God's kingdom, as understood by Jesus and his disciples, was a very physical thing. The healing they did together was not simply proof that they were doing God's work. It was the work itself. Jesus' resurrection was not a one-time thing, but God's intention for all humankind: restored to life, with real, tangible bodies, freed from all the ailments which cause pain. The "universal restoration" and times of refreshing Peter mentions are to happen here on earth: all creation restored to the way God always intended it to be.
Application: As I think about this for my own life, I think about the "refresh" button on my web browser. You know, the one you hit when things freeze up, or aren't loading properly. It's risky, because it's supposed to restore the page you're looking at to its original form, which means any work or information you typed in would be gone.
We need God to hit the "refresh" button on our lives, our world, our creation. We cannot afford to get so attached to our achievements and "progress" that we are resistant to that resetting when it happens. In this season of waiting, we can practice, by letting go of a few things now--either physical things or ideas--to remind ourselves that all things are impermanent except God.
God, hit the refresh button. Come to us and save us from our so-called "progress". Amen.
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