An Instant of Change

I love how the Word of God can, in an instant, lift me right up and fill me with hope and encouragement. Tonight as I was reading, a very simple truth was made crystal clear to me in only a moment: My circumstances don't matter. How long they last does not matter. The only thing that matters is that, in an instant, God can change them entirely for my good and for His glory.

A Biblical example to illustrate this is found in Chapter 3 of Acts.

• One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer - at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then 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." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?... By faith int he name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. (Acts 3: 1-12, 16)

This man was crippled from birth, which means His circumstances lasted a LONG time. He sat at the gate every day, which means that many men of faith, and perhaps even Jesus Himself, walked past this man every day until the day Peter and John spoke to him and he was healed.

I'm sure that this was God's divine plan. I'm certain that Peter and John followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit on this particular day which allow this man to be healed. The cool thing to think about is that circumstances, day after day, could easily cause one to believe that this man had been overlooked or forgotten (or maybe ignored?) by God. Yet, in an instant, because of this man's faith in the name of Jesus, he was totally and completely healed, not only for his own good, but also for the glory and honor of God and for the advancement of His Kingdom. Awesome.

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