Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-142

THE LAME MAN

From ‘Sunrise Sunset’ (HarperCollins/Harper San Francisco), Rowland Croucher’s book of daily meditations. Feel free to use or adapt it.

The faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. Acts 3:16.

This story has some remarkable and instructive elements in it. First, the two friends Peter and John, after the Holy Spirit descended on them and on the other disciples like a violent wind are now going to a regular Temple service of evening prayer. Think about that: would you be back to liturgies-as-usual after a Pentecostal experience?

Then this amazing miracle! A man lame from birth – crippled for more than forty years (4:22), who had to be carried by his friends, is given ‘perfect health’ (3:16). His useless feet and ankle bones are now strong enough to enable him to jump about in praise and delight! Peter in his sermon says that the healing was performed, not by some magical power possessed by the apostles, but in the ‘name’ (or authority) of Jesus – rejected by this very crowd but raised by God from the dead…

Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic paralyzed after a diving accident, says her terrible experience increased her faith and her ability to relate to others who hurt.

It’s mystery: God heals a lame man but causes Jacob to limp (Genesis 32:22-32). (‘All who believe limp a little,’ writes Dorothee Solle). Healing happens many ways…

So, Lord, I offer to you my lameness and my limp, whatever it is. Use it for your glory. Amen.

Shalom! Rowland Croucher http://jmm.aaa.net.au