Focus: God of the Ordinary Place

Text: Act.3:7

"And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

This is the story of a cripple found in Act.3. A 40-year old man. His name is not known. No mention of his parents. No record of any achievements in life. He was born like everyone else. His parents had high hopes that one day he would make them proud. But they woke up one morning and saw that their child couldn't stand or walk. It was a sad season for the family. Life suddenly happened and everything went bananas. They did their best to remedy the situation but all to no avail. Their son grew up unable to walk - a liability to family and society. He grew up having no job nor any means of livelihood. So he took to begging as a means of survival.

He was daily carried to the gate of the temple where those coming to worship God could show him pity.

He begged daily because the charity of one day could not sustain him for the next day. So he needed daily charity for daily survival. And this he did for years till he turned 40. Who could tell the anguish of his soul as he begged? Who could tell of the misery of his soul as he was carried about by others? Living a life of dependence. Doing the same thing over and over again. A life of routine and mediocrity. Every day of his life was ordinary. Waking up every day with nothing to hope for and nothing to celebrate. Living life below the average. He couldn't even go into the temple to worship for his immobility. He didn't qualify.

Then came one ordinary afternoon. Peter and John arrived at the temple for the 3 O'clock prayers. At the gate they met the young cripple. While he was there for the usual they came for their usual prayer. Peter said to him, 'I don't have what you are asking for.' He was really expecting to get some coins from them, but his hopes were dashed. Hand to mouth existence is really hard. Then Peter said to him, 'I have something to give you, something radically different from the usual.' Here's a big lesson: lack of money doesn't mean lack of everything.

Peter then took him by the hand, and said to him, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Instantly the power of God went straight to where the problem was - his ankle bone - and healed him. For the first time in his life he stood up, leaped, walked, and entered into the temple, praising God. He didn't get the pittance he asked for, but he got a miracle that changed his whole life forever.

In Act.4:4, five thousand souls gave their lives to Christ because of the miracle. Miracle settles the issue. No one can argue against the obvious?

Where are you in life? God will meet you there. He will do a miracle in your life and change your story for good. I believe you are due for a miracle. Believe God for a change of story.

You can be another Peter or John today. God wants to use you to work miracles in other people's lives. Allow God to use you now.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter