Leaping for God

Imagine not being able to walk. Or not having the ability to move or get around without others taking you places. The older I get the easier this is to imagine. However, Acts 3 gives an account of a man who was lame from birth and his days consisted of begging by the temple. People would carry him to a gate and he would lay there and ask for money. This was his only option. This was his life. He was completely at the mercy of others. 

One day as he was laid by the Beautiful Gate of the temple, he began to ask for alms. He asked two men, Peter and John, as they walked by. And as they were going by, Peter turned and said, “Look at us.” The man immediately turned his gaze to Peter and John because he expected them to give him some money. I am sure he was a little excited with the good start to his day. However, that feeling only lasted a few seconds as Peter’s first words were, “ I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.” At this point I am sure the man was immediately disappointed. Was Peter just going to give him some advice or helpful tips? Why did Peter speak out if he didn’t have any money to give to help him out? Then Peter says something that seemed insane, he said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth get up and walk!” Can you imagine what was going on in this man’s head? He had been lame from birth; he was relegated to begging at the temple every day. Then, he thinks he is off to a good start on this particular day until Peter says he doesn’t have any money. Then Peter tells him to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. If this man had been begging at the temple for any amount of time, I am sure he knew who Jesus was and may have even seen Him. As all of this is going on in the man’s head, Peter reaches out his hand to help him up. I wonder if this man went through some confusion as he saw Peter reach for his hand. Peter knew he couldn’t walk; he had never taken a step in his life. However, at this moment we see faith begin to work in this man’s life. He did not pull his hand away from Peter, but he accepted it. And as Peter pulled him up, the man’s feet and ankles were strengthened. This man had never walked in his life; he had been lame from birth. And yet, through the power of Jesus Christ, he was completely healed. As a side note, consider that Luke, the author of this book, was a doctor. It is interesting that God used a doctor to describe and record such miracles.

This man immediately leapt up and began praising God. He even entered the temple leaping and praising God! As you can imagine this caused people to take notice. Not only was someone jumping around in the temple (an action normally reserved for kids and/or teenage boys who feel the need to see how high they can jump), but they also recognized him as the lame man who sat at the Beautiful Gate each day. This man could not stop praising God. His first response to being healed was to praise God. He didn’t run to find his family or friends; he entered the temple to praise and thank God. He began that day hoping to receive a few alms. He would have been content with just a little money. However, God reached down and healed this man both physically and spiritually. He went from disappointment at the statement that Peter had no money to uncontrollable joy as he took the first steps of his life. He could not help but praise God. 

This is the same God that we serve today. He still saves and heals. He still changes lives. As I meditated on this passage I was challenged by Peter’s boldness to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to speak to this man. I was encouraged by the faith demonstrated by both Peter and the man who was healed. I was reminded of the need to praise God for all He has done. And if you get a little excited, it’s ok to leap a little.