In The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Rise Up and Walk!

I read this passage a little over a week ago. I can't remember what was going on that day, but I didn't have time to really spend time in it. It keeps coming back to me, so I decided to reread it and take time to pray and journal over it.

Acts 3:1-10 (New King James Version)

A Lame Man Healed

1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “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.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

This man, lame from birth, sat begging for money every day. Every day! I guess you could say this was his job. When Peter and John walk by and tell him "look at us" he looks at them EXPECTING to receive something from them. What do you think he's expecting? Money! That's all he ever gets. The same thing...over and over. Why? Because that's all he asks for. Then along come Peter and John, in the name of JESUS and changes his life!

I think this applies to our lives so well. We just keep asking for the same things from God, over and over. Lord, bless us, bless our kids, bless our church. I know that's what my prayers are like. We have God in this box. Well, guess what? There's no box that can hold God! Our God is bigger than we can even imagine! Then why are we not praying bold prayers of faith! The thing is, God WANTS to do infinitely more than we could ever imagine in our lives.

You know what, I bet that lame beggar, thought about the possibility of walking everyday. He would see little kids run buy, watch men and women stroll by, and just long to be one of them. Long to feel what it would be like to stand upright on his own two feet and walk wherever he wanted. Yet there he laid, day after day.

How long are we going to just lay here. Sitting in our same circumstances. Keeping God in our box. I'm ready to start praying audacious prayers of faith. But you know what? They have to be the right prayers. I can pray audaciously that I win a million dollars; but, does that fall along with what God wants from me? What if I prayed that God would be God of my finances. Not that we could have nice cars or a bigger house, but so that we could change the world for the Kingdom of God! What if I stopped praying for a "good" job for Doug when we move. What if I started praying that God would provide Doug with the perfect job that would allow him to reach others for Christ. To put him right where God needed him to be. What if I stopped worrying if my house will be big enough when we move and start praying that God would put me right by the neighbors I need to be by to reach them for Him.

What if I really changed the way I pray? What if I let God out of his box and allowed Him to work through me to further His kingdom? What if?