I love IBS

1/31/2012

Acts 3:7- “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.”

Interpretation: Peter took the lame man by the right hand to help him up, and immediately the man was able to stand strong by the name of Jesus. I wonder if this man had prayed about his disability. I wonder if he had countless nights laying in bed crying in shame, or maybe even begging God to take it from him. I wonder if, because he sat at the temple gates day after day, he had seen Peter, and heard of the apostles, and maybe even seen Jesus or witnessed a miracle. Somehow he knew enough to offer Peter his right hand at the right time. Sometimes I pray for very specific things that only God could align for me. I wonder – how often does he prepare to give them to me when I don’t reach my hand out to receive it in faith? The man could have thought, “This isn’t how God is going to heal me, he wouldn’t use this man Peter,” or, “This isn’t the way I imagined it happening.” God is so creative, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He answers our prayers in amazing ways that we often can’t just sit around and think up, even though we do and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, as long as we recognize when he is answering our prayers right in front of our faces.

Application: I need to pray today if there is something He is doing for me that I’m missing, and then do my daily devotional again to get more time in His word. (“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”)