As I feast on my LJS, at the corner of my eye is a man dressed in a crimson shirt. He has lost a leg face filled with stub and age. He fidgets with the silver basket place just in front of him. As I continue to watch him from a far on my slightly uncomfortable seat I realize that his fingers were slightly - deformed. As he kneel before crowds walking pass him, he looked at people with these eyes, a little of pity and a little bit of envy. I guess this is not his first day neither will it be his last. I’ve lost my appetite as I became unsettled about a resolution for the situation. He opens a packet of mee goreng - I’m impressed with my eyesight. And began to bow and eat what seems to be dinner. I walked over and gave what I had and wish I could do more
In Acts 3. Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”
Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk!
I think umpteen people have said this or commented. It would be seriously an issue if we are not talking about it. We can take many things out of this scenario, let’s just take one for today.
1. We gotta get deeper than the skin. Understand that when the friends brought the paralytic through the roof just to get to Jesus, Jesus said “your sins are forgiven” (instead of what a miracle worker would say : u are healed). Which created a commotion in the eyes of the pharisees. Jesus is not a miracle worker, He is the redeemer. He is Jehovah Rapha. He is more than a miracle worker. Jesus knew that just a physical, exterior healing is not sufficient. Such joy/happiness would last a year? He knew that what was needed was deep within. Something not any one could do but only the Son of God could do; that authority. Peter and John understood that principle, and they knew that they now possess that authority. They had to proclaim the authority they had in Christ Jesus, not just healing. (People at that time have heard of Jesus as the Redeemer and the Savior), that money alone was not gonna save them. But the forgiveness of sin through Christ the lamb that was slain.
We have partnership with Him when we pray and work side by side with Him. It’s gotta be deeper than skin.
