Stale Air

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.” (Acts 3:19-20 NIV)

Sometimes you just long for some fresh air. Like when you flying at 37,000 feet for 10 hours on a jet. Exiting the plane to inhale the outside air can be so refreshing. Or when you are on a long drive in a car and the inside air grows stale. What a relief to roll the windows down for a few seconds to replenish the air. Or when you exit a locker room or gym full of the odor of sweaty bodies and damp towels. Walking through the door into an open space and taking a deep breath can be invigorating.  

I was thinking about this while driving several hours this past weekend, coming home from officiating a wedding. There was an acrid smoke through which we drove and I immediately hit the re-circulation button on our heating unit. Yet, that just kept the smell in the car. My wife then opened the windows for a few seconds and it immediately cleared out the old air with fresh. 

Smelly or stale air is unpleasant, but sometimes people tolerate it because they become accustomed to it. While likely appreciating fresh air, their adaptive sense of smell doesn’t give them an urgency to seek it out.  I think the same is true with faith.

Peter was speaking to very religious people who were very accustomed to their religion. Although it was stale and not life-giving, they were used to it and okay with it. Day after day, they lived in this stale atmosphere without much thought about it. Then Jesus came on the scene bringing with Him the freshest of air. “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) Yet, most were reluctant to step outside of their religion to drink it in. 

The same is true today. So many are enclosed in their religion, sealed tight. It is stale. Fresh air is available, but it requires opening the door and breathing it in. The door is Jesus and walking through it is repentance from sin and surrendering our lives to the Lord. Taking the deep breaths of the fresh air is, as I wrote yesterday, to be transformed by Him who gives true life, and being refreshed and invigorated by His Holy Spirit.

Today, think honestly about your faith. Is it truly alive? Are you refreshed and invigorated by it? Or is it old and stale, sapping you of energy and enthusiasm? If you conclude it is the latter, then know times of refreshing are close by. By opening your life (once again) to Jesus and repenting of your sins, whatever they may be, you can truly experience a life-filled faith that is truly invigorating. You just need to step out and breathe it in.

© Jim Musser 2018