Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
March 7, 2023
Read Acts of the Apostles 3:1-10
1 Peter and John were going up to the temple at three o’clock in the afternoon, the established prayer time. 2 Meanwhile, a man crippled since birth was being carried in. Every day, people would place him at the temple gate known as the Beautiful Gate so he could ask for money from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he began to ask them for a gift. 4 Peter and John stared at him. Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gazed at them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I don’t have any money, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk!” 7 Then he grasped the man’s right hand and raised him up. At once his feet and ankles became strong. 8 Jumping up, he began to walk around. He entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 They recognized him as the same one who used to sit at the temple’s Beautiful Gate asking for money. They were filled with amazement and surprise at what had happened to him.
Good Morning, Our God is an Awesome God!
I am trying to imagine what it would be like to suddenly be able to do something that I had seen others doing but that I was unable to do. The crippled man was walking, leaping, and praising God. Let’s back up a minute: If you were the one who was lame and you were told to stand, would you attempt to stand, or would you laugh and scoff at these two men? When a toddler begins to walk, that first attempt is often no more than one or two steps, but at least their legs are short, so they are close to the ground when they fall. This man must have felt as gangly as a giraffe when his body was perched upon full-size legs, but he not only walked, and he lept.
There is another important consideration of this story. What about Peter and John? According to Scripture, this is their first miracle. They had walked with Jesus and watched as followers on the sidelines when Jesus healed the sick. Remember it was just a short time before that they were as amazed as those who saw the lame man walking around the temple. What about Peter’s moments of doubt when he began to sink into the water and denied Christ, not once, but three times?
Certainly, the crippled man stood up as an act of faith, but oh my, Peter spoke, " In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk, with confidence. From where did this conviction and faith come? Of course, it came from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but he had to choose to accept and believe. This was not some practice or first attempt in a private setting. The healing was in a public space where many could hear and see what was happening. The one who Jesus had rebuked, “Oh, Ye of little faith!” when his faith wavered on the Sea of Galilee, was now standing strong in his faith. This is a beautiful transformation and miracle for us to consider and ponder this morning.
Loving God, Thank You for being with us. Like Peter, we have times of doubt, but You have placed the Holy Spirit within us to transform us as we journey toward you. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: I give thanks to God for each new day!
Believe! Pastor Liz
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