Joining in with God’s work

I have to admit, too many times in my life I have missed opportunities God has given me to touch a life. Why? Because I’m too focused on my own agendas.

I can’t count how many times I have had opportunities to touch a life and I’ve missed it because I had to do some shopping. Or because I had to go to this place or that.

And sometimes, they were legitimate reasons. But even if I truly couldn’t afford to stop and talk for long, how difficult would it have been to say, “Hey, let’s hook up later,” and make plans to do so?

But too often, I simply made excuses and just went on my way.

Peter and John, in this passage, could have made similar excuses as they passed the man begging for alms.

After all, they were going to the temple. They were going to worship. Surely, they couldn’t stop simply to engage with this man. Especially since they didn’t have any money to give him.

It would have been so easy to simply ignore him. Or to say, “Sorry, I don’t have anything on me” and pass on by.

But instead, they stopped and actually made eye contact with this man.

And instead of focusing on what they couldn’t do (give him money), they focused on what the Spirit could do.

Peter said,

Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. (Acts 3:6)

Then he picked him up, and immediately, this man could walk. Not only could he walk, he started jumping around and praising God to the amazement of all the people.

How about you? Do you get so focused on your agenda that you can’t see what the Spirit is doing around you? And are you so focused on what you can’t do, that you can’t see what the Spirit can do?

Let us walk each day, led by the Spirit. Let us become aware of what he is doing around us, and as he leads us, join in his work.