“So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple
with them – walking, leaping and praising God.”
This
man who had been lame since birth, placed in front of the temple for years to
beg the people going in, had just experienced a miracle. His leg had been
healed by two commonplace Jews who he’d hoped for a simple coin or two from. He
had reached out his hands for a little compassion, and instead received total
love and caring. His legs had been healed and he walked on his own for the
first time.
Can’t
you picture this? He takes Peter’s hand and stands to his feet, as he’s
doubtless tried hundreds of times. Then as Peter lets go of him, he stands on
his own. His ankles now strong enough to hold him up. But can I take a step? He must’ve thought to himself. He slowly
lifts a foot and then places it down ahead of him. He picks up the other and
takes another step. He looks up at Peter’s face, and back down at his feet. He
takes another step. And another. And another. His face breaks into a smile,
radiant with joy and he begins to run, run in a circle and jump and click his
heel, the ecstatic joy pouring through every bone in his body. Peter then
touches his arm and leads him inside the Beautiful Gate he had never been in
and he remembers the name that Peter had used to heal him.
Jesus
Christ of Nazareth.
His
heart bounding out of his chest, he yelled his praise to God who had healed
him, leaping and running, his joy overflowing and the love of Christ showing.
This is
what it means to be saved. His joy poured from every part of his body, and his
praise went to God. Everyone knew exactly what had happened, and even if they
hadn’t known he had just been a lame beggar – they knew that God had done
something miraculous.
Does
this love and joy pour out of us when God does something miraculous? And just
like a gift can be anything from a sports car to a rubber ball, a miracle is
more than just a major healing. It’s God’s love being poured out on His
children. Do we thank God for his grace every day?
Today I
will praise the Lord in even the ordinary miracles, appreciate the beauty in
others, and spend an hour tonight in thanking the Lord for everything he’s been
doing in my life, and write it all down.
No comments:
Post a Comment