Enter the Temple to Pray, Leap and Praise
Scripture Passage: Acts 3:1-10 (NASB)
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order for him to beg for charitable gifts from those entering the temple grounds. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple grounds, he began asking to receive a charitable gift. 4 But Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!” 7 And grasping him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they recognized him as being the very one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg for charitable gifts, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
SUMMARY
Peter and John meet the lame man at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. This man was born lame and has been carried to the gate everyday in order to beg for alms from people entering the temple. When he sees Peter and John going up to the temple to pray, he asks them hoping he could gain something from them. However, Peter and John declare that they cannot not give him silver and gold, but they could make him walk in the name of Jesus Christ! Peter seizes him by the right hand, and to everyone’s amazement, the lame man gains strength in his feet and ankles and starts to walk. He enters the temple with Peter and John leaping and praising God.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
I’ve read this passage many times in the past. It was always noted of Peter’s bold transformation to display power of the Holy Spirit in him, and undeniable power of the name of Jesus Christ. Peter and John who witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ believed with their entire being that everything indeed was possible in the name of Jesus. There was no hesitation nor doubt to raise this lame man to walk in Jesus name. I’m once again reminded how someone can be so bold in faith when they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Today though, my gaze is on this lame man. This man had given up on hope to get healed because he was born lame. Every single day, he was at the gate of the temple begging people for money, food, or anything that could sustain him for that day, and he came right back to the same place very next day. He probably thought that’s all that he could do in his lifetime. It’s quite strange that I am more drawn to the life of this lame man rather than the complete transformation of Peter during this time of my life. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m facing the pandemic or if it’s due to the life stage I am in, but I feel like this lame man, feeling paralyzed and trapped in this mundane cycle of life. Just as this man routinely was there at the gate, these days I feel like I go through the same thing every day without a real hope and dreams. What I expect to unfold in my day is very limited just like this lame man expected nothing but a little bit of money, food, or any other donations that he was able to receive for the day. Then, it makes me think...why was he always at the “gate” of the temple, not inside? Of course, him being lame probably didn’t allow him to be inside the temple as he was deemed unclean. But couldn’t he have been praying instead of begging everyday? Did he give up? Or is it that he didn’t even expect healing to happen? A lot of thoughts are going through my mind as I ponder what this lame man must have felt as he watched so many people entering the temple to pray to God.
APPLICATION
Ultimately though, true healing and freedom came from the name of Jesus Christ when this lame man merely asked for some alms to get by that day through the hands of transformed disciples. God makes me see through this lame man that I am lingering at the gate of the temple when I can be inside the temple to pray. He makes me see the spiritual stage that I am at. I keep asking the world to give me something that I desire just like this lame man is asking for alms everyday. These days I desire for this pandemic to end more than anything, but will that truly satisfy my needs? It’s nothing but a day worth of alms that I can receive from the world. When the pandemic is gone, I will start begging this world to provide something else that I desire. I am realizing once again that only Jesus can give me true freedom and content. Jesus in his Words is the living water and daily bread that I must drink and eat everyday to truly quench my thirst and hunger. I must revive my heart by spending more time in prayer in the temple, not lingering at the “gate” of the temple.
PRAYER
Dear Father,
I confess that I’ve forgotten to have hope in you. I was afraid of disappointments, so I failed to be inside the temple and pray. Just like this lame man, I was at the gate waiting for something to happen. As this lame man was able to stand upright and begin to walk in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray to be able to come out of this feeling of incapability and loss of hope in the name of Jesus Christ. Father, I pray that my heart be filled with the Holy Spirit! Help me not waste another day lingering at the gate, but to be with you in the temple, in your mighty presence. I pray I will stand, walk and leap in joy in your presence and dwell in your temple everyday. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, my savior. Amen.
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