The lame man had since his birth, sat daily at the gate Beautiful,
looking for alms. He had probably developed an ‘eye’ for individuals likely to
give him a coin, for his physical sustenance. He had no idea what was about to
happen, and what kind of gift he was about to receive from God through His
servants. It was necessary however that he should have faith to receive, and to
this his attention was summoned. He might have been distracted by his usual
habit of looking around at anyone who might give to him, but not today - today
he was to look with expectation, to a different source. He gave heed to the
apostles, who under the unction of God’s Spirit were being used as channels of
God, to bring him deliverance. The text says he looked “expecting to receive
something of them”! When in faith we look to God, we can expect to receive. The
look of faith sees beyond the natural and physical realm. It perceives the
greater and bigger spiritual reality, the plane above, from where God works. It
is this look of faith that sees hope in despair, strength when weakness exists,
and answers when we are faced with problems. There is room in this action to
look on those who in faith are attuned to God’s Spirit, and are moving in
harmony with His directives. We are inspired to have faith, by looking at men
and women of faith. We are encouraged to believe when we look at those who by
believing God, are achieving His purposes and receiving His blessings. By
looking at individuals who are aligned with God, we are not turning our gaze in
the wrong direction! If they are standing with God and line up with His Spirit,
there is no harm in others looking in ‘their direction’, because we are really
looking at God’s direction with them! They are not the source of God’s
blessing, but can be the channel of it, when God so determines. In that sense
then it is appropriate for someone in need to ‘look on us’, and what others
will see is Jesus in us, and the power of the Lord through us. As the apostles
were quick to point out, when questioned later about the healing of the lame
man, the work, miracle and blessing is not something we can do, but it is
performed by God and the glory for which belongs to the Lord!
http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion
No comments:
Post a Comment