You have not been passed by, your heart’s cry has been heard. Only wait in your gate beautiful, and hope will come.
‘Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 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.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 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.’ (Acts 3:1-10
In some ways it is not hard to picture this scene so clearly revealed in the Book of Acts, if only because of the image of a beggar on the streets, something so often seen nowadays in any city. It is clear, too that this man felt great shame, with his eyes cast down, and sadly this if often the same emotion many people feel who find themselves needing to do the same today. However, the image of someone unable to walk and begging, helped there by associated, is not as common. At first this is where the parallel with times today might seem to end, but that is not to say other more hidden disabilities maybe the reason people are today’s beggar.
After all, two thousand years ago in Jerusalem there was no government of community sector support system to help with living costs. Unable to walk from birth, and reliant on your own means, this man had no choice to beg, and while he had people to help place him in the path of many people, the same were obviously unable to support him out of their means, or perhaps his infirmity was used to also support them. In the society of the time, a lame person would certainly have been seen as a lesser person, quite literally an outcast, not worthy to enter the temple.
But there is something quite compelling about this story that is often overlooked, and while at first hard to understand, on reflection brings great hope. For this man, had been lame from birth and taken daily to a common thoroughfare to the Temple, one trodden by many faithful, including the Apostles, and also Jesus Christ. Peter and John would have been simply following a path often taken with the Lord when He went up to Jerusalem to enter the temple, something that had only occurred a couple of months beforehand. While there is some conjecture as to where this gate was, there are two or three accepted views. Most suggesting the Nicanor or Sushan gates in the eastern walls of the Temple, and still others the grand double gate in the southern wall of the temple complex with its beautifully ornate carvings. All were common entrance ways for many people to pass through, including almost certainly our Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostles would have followed their habit of entering as Christ would have, like how the lame man followed his habit of finding a common place to receive alms.
Given the Jesus had turned Israel upside, and the most obvious impacts were the miracles performed through Him, healing entire villages at times, and certainly touching many in the city, no one could have not known what He did. So, this, unnamed man, would have not been unaware of this. And so, it is not hard to imagine him lying there in this gate begging as the twelve apostles of Christ, and His other followers, walked past him, as Jesus went up into the temple. So, it would look as though God had passed him by! Despite hearing of the many who were healed, here he is being left lame…how challenging this would be.
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:19
In practice is it likely that he was only there out of routine, and while knowing healings have been occurring, his focus was on money, something revealed by his interaction with Peter in this passage from Acts, and maybe he was not even looking for a miracle, rather sustenance for the day. We know Jesus only did what He saw His Father (in heaven) doing, and so would have been intentional in all that He did, and yet crowds would be healed as they came into His presence. Was this lame man overlooked, did he not believe or even seek Jesus’ intervention, or had God chosen not to heal Him..for now?
Knowing God’s grace and mercy overcome our (and his unbelief), so how do you respond when even in the shadow of Christ you are apparently not healed. The considered view would be that this man was once again needing to deal with disappointment, and so continued bowed head to raise funds for his apparently simplistic, but very trying, existence. Not an unusual reaction for any of us who feel Gods has passed us by.
In this, many perhaps can relate to how this man might have felt, being disappointed that their healing had not come as they attended a healing outreach meeting, even with a well-known miracle worker. Or despite regularly going to church, going forward for prayer hoping for divine intervention, still finding no improvements or answers. Or perhaps being prayed for by your church elders, pastor, friends, families, many times with no apparent answer. Never mind their own petitions to God.
But God. In this mystery, we see that healing does come, even when he is not looking for it. For it seems that in His wisdom, Jesus chose to delay His healing of this man as He had a special purpose for this man of no name, someone considered to be one of the very lowest in the society of their time. An outcast, physically disabled, unable to walked, a beggar, was to be used by God to catapult the new movement called the Way. For this is the first recorded healing that has occurred with the disciples with Jesus no longer with them. But is was a healing that created great astonishment amongst the community and the religious.
His miracle quite remarkable given his lifelong condition, clearly well known by so many. In practice Jesus did heal Him, as Peter makes clear, as He ministered through Peter and John by His Spirit (in His name) and cause the lame to walk. In His perfect timing God chose to launch the Apostles beyond the elation of the Holy Spirit anointing, and the power of anointed preaching (for example by Peter) that would cause many to become believers, to the understanding miracles still come in and through Christ by His followers faithfulness. Jesus is still present, He is just working unseen through those who believe in Him.
Choosing to be available to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, Peter and John prayed for this no named outcast, a somewhat familiar action maybe, but now with Jesus in heaven. And guess what, our Lord revealed His ministry and commission had not changed – compelling as much for them as it was for the healed.
And so to hope comes for us when we look at his once lame man. Let us not give up. Just because our healing, or heart’s desire has not come, Jesus has not passed us by. In this brief story in the book of Acts, God reveals that His timing is not our timing, and sometimes all we can do is to patiently persevere, position ourselves in a place of hope, and simply wait for His deliverance.
However, there are somethings we need to remember. Just because Jesus healed one way, does not mean He will do it the same way again. The agent of healing can come in many different packages. Maybe we have been looking to the ‘anointed one’ to pray for us, missing the opportunity to be touched by God through the one you see every day, or ignoring the request to be prayed for by a complete stranger. Our faith more in the person or an event, than in Jesus in them.
So are you waiting for your healing miracles, or some other promise of God, or heart’s desire? The question might be, ‘Where is your gate beautiful?’ Where can you regularly position yourself knowing that God has or is present, and where people of faith abide or move. A place that is at least comforting, because you have seen yours or others needs met in other ways. A spiritual place, which is some ways is beautiful, that can be either physical or where your hope comes alive. Where the talk of God can fan the flickering flame of faith.
And while we can have our part of play in receiving prayer, we should not let the words of others, or lack of answers, condemn us to despair. This story reveals clearly that was neither the faithful action of this man that brought him healing, or something he did wrong to make him unwell. Jesus revealed this can be the truth for some, and that inaction did not mean unbelief. All healing is an act of grace, and not one of works!
It was tempting to believe perhaps that the lame man’s sin was holding back his healing, but there is no reference to vaguely confirm that. For those wanting to be healed, see restoration in some way, have a child, etc, it would not be unknown for well-meaning Christians to suggest your lack of faith, or a hidden sin must be to blame! Giving no room for grace. And yet, Jesus makes it clear (see Luke 13:1-4 – Tower of Siloam) that somethings happen just because, including the sinful nature of the world around us, or simply because this is the way He chooses to move. (See John 9:1-4 and the healing of the man blind from birth).
Bad things do happen to good people, or things happen to us that are nothing to do with what we do. But also, sickness can be due to sin. Regardless, God’s mercy triumphs, and His grace sufficient for us, and He will always listen to a genuine heart seeking His help. All we need to be is available to receive at His chosen moment, and through His appointed way. Choosing our gate beautiful to abide, our place of hope, is sometimes all that we can do. If we do so with our eyes of faith lifted up we will see our healer or God’s chosen answer come.
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5
Hope in Christ always has a response, but sometimes it might not be what we are seeking, but it will most definitely be of more eternal value.
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