Devotion - Acts 3:4-5

(4) And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. (5) And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

The scene is becoming clear. I can’t help but connect the dots, connecting the past to the present. We read that Peter fastened or fixed, if you will, his eyes upon the lame man. I have got to be honest…I read this the first time and was flooded with questions…

How come Peter never saw him before?

The scripture reads in verse 2 that this man was there daily…and didn’t we just learn that the ninth hour was a daily time of evening prayer? This guy was there every day. Every day his routine was get up; his family would get him ready for a day of panhandling. What a life, right? He didn’t do this because he wanted to…he did this because he had to. The society of the time didn’t make room for the palsy…they were worthless, they were disease stricken, and they were a burden. So, why now…why now does Peter take notice of him? What was it that triggered this response in Peter?

Can I ask you a question? Have you ever had a flashback? Has there ever been a time in your life where something, maybe a smell, a physical object, a movie, or whatever has made you instantly remember a past experience?
Listen I don’t know that this happened at all…But I am human…I am still flesh and blood. I don’t know how to look at Peter any other way. Peter was just a man…howbeit a man driven by the Spirit of God…but a man none the less…Still I can’t help but think it’s a moment like this…when you just fix your eyes on something because it speaks to you in some way.

Do you understand what I am trying to say?

Peter fixed his eyes on this man. What did he see? Was it just as simple as him believing that God wanted this man healed and nothing more…or…in that split moment…did his mind travel back to the “John 9”? Did he replay that moment in his mind…or maybe…just maybe it was time to really walk on water. No more looking at the waves…Maybe it was time for some straight up bold faith. Does that resonate with you? Can you relate to any of that? Has God done some pretty awesome things in your life that ultimately shapes your decisions now?

The rest of the scripture says the lame mans eyes peered back at Peter in expectation…and shouldn’t they? The eyes of the poor, the hopeless, and the worthless are all looking to God’s people with expectation today. They are waiting for us do what we say we do. They are waiting for us to live how we say we live. They are waiting for us to be who we are supposed to be…Christ –like.