Acts 3: 19-20

19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,
20  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,
21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

At the funeral I attended last week I saw a number of people who were clearly uncomfortable with the circumstances of the day. Conversations were polite and a few mentioned how young the deceased was – in his early 60’s.  Yet beneath the comments and handshakes was a sense of not knowing…is this life all there is? Blaise Pascal was a brilliant mathematician and more importantly philosopher and follower of Christ. The following is a paraphrase of his belief in the meaning of life.

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

We can fill our lives with many things in order to attempt to find the “times of refreshing” in our lives.  People all around us are doing just that everyday, but their lives remain empty. Some are depressed.  Others are, at least on the surface, unaware of their situation, but all are looking for something that satisfies.

When the people gathered to see the lame man who walked, Peter took the opportunity to point the crowds directly to Christ. You may have an opportunity to do so today. Look for it.