3 Acts of the Apostles - The Man at the Beautiful Gate

'Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk' and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.'

Here we see how man's expectations do not compare with what God has planned for us. The lame man at the gate called Beautiful, had probably begged for years and on his good days he received coins which were probably flung at him. He was probably ignored and ridiculed by passers-by all his life. The bible says that the lame man 'expected to receive something from them' but in his wildest dreams didn't expect that he would receive healing from Peter and John.

This story shows God's nature as a fixer who does not just solve quick fixes but goes to the root of long-term problems. The lame man's short-term need was for 'silver and gold' but his permanent solution was to be set free from paralysis which caused him to be bound at the gate begging for alms.

For a lot of Christians, God is looking out for long-term permanent situations which may take longer to achieve than quick fixes. As you hold out your faith and wait expectantly like the man at the gate, let your imaginations be stretched and your faith be renewed that he is a permanent fixer and will do more that you have ever imagined.

Biola