Not to sound old or anything….but back in the day when I was little, we had things like flannelgraphs and Colorforms. Who remembers those? Oh, and paper dolls. Can’t forget the paper dolls. We had to use our imaginations. Boy, those were the days!
We used the flannelgraphs at church and on a good day, when they were brand new before they got worn down, the pictures that went along with the Bible story we were learning would stick to the flannel and help make the story come alive. It was the best when you got picked to be the one to actually put the pictures on the flannel. Exciting times, I tell ya!
I remember learning about baby Moses being sent down the river that way. And about Joseph and the coat of many colors. And the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. Daniel and the lions’ den. Zacchaeus climbing the tree to see Jesus.
One that I especially remember is Acts 3. There was even a song that went with this one. Peter and John were going to the temple at the hour of prayer and they passed the lame beggar who was asking for alms. (Alms…..we learned it in the King James Version…you know, the Holy version. Jesus only said thee, thou and thine. LOL. 🙂 )
Oh when the NIV came out it was almost shocking. Read the Bible in a language that makes sense to our times today? Is that okay to do? Is it still Holy? But I digress…..
Imagine this. Here’s this guy that was born paralyzed. He never could walk. Ever. His parents never got to see him learn to crawl then walk then run. They didn’t get to see him try to pull himself up on the table and bump his head. He didn’t teeter and totter, falling a thousand times before he took his first steps.
He never walked across the room to get his favorite toy. He never got to chase a butterfly or catch a lightning bug or play soccer with the kids in the neighborhood.
He was paralyzed from birth and now, instead of having a fulfilling and satisfying life with a wife and kids of his own, he gets carried to the gate called Beautiful every day to beg just to survive.
He asked Peter and John for money, just as he’d asked everyone else who’d walked through that gate. I’m sure a couple people even put a few coins in his cup. Some of them may also have been disciples who had followed Jesus. Most probably walked on by either unable or unwilling to help.
But not Peter and John. They didn’t have any money, but they had something else, so they looked right at him and said, “We don’t have any cash on us, but we have something even better and we’ll give that to you. In the Name of Jesus, get up and walk. Be healed.”
They could have just kept walking when they realized they left their wallets at home. They could have been moved with compassion to turn around and go get some coins to help him get a meal or two. They could have ignored him since they didn’t have the resources to meet his need.
And sometimes we do that. We see a need and since we can’t do everything, we don’t do anything. We just keep walking. Keep moving. Keep scrolling.
Since we don’t have what they’re looking for, we don’t even think to give them what we have. And there are plenty of reasons for that. Are we embarrassed of what someone will think? Do we not really believe that there’s power in prayer?
Sometimes it’s because we forget. We forget what we DO have – all authority and power in the Name of Jesus that breaks every chain. We forget that prayer releases God’s power. We don’t remember we can talk to the One who answers prayer and He’ll move. What if we pray and nothing happens?
Oh, but what if we pray and something does happen? What if God moves? What if someone’s life is changed forever?
This man only asked for money for a meal. But God wanted to go way beyond that. God wanted to give him the abundant life he longed for.
We might not always have the money or the wisdom or the resources to meet someone’s natural need, but we know the One who does.
If we know our God and how faithful He is to answer prayer, if we remember the power we have access to in the Name of Jesus Who destroyed the work of the enemy, we won’t have to say, “I’m sorry. I wish I could help you but I just can’t.”
We’ll remember to think outside of the box and say, “I don’t have what you’re asking for, but I have something better. I know the One who does. Let’s pray and see what miracle He will do for you. In Jesus Name.”
Let’s not forget to pray. Let’s be bold and see just what our God can do!