Acts 3 NLT

If you've spent much time around me, you've heard me talk about "divine appointments". I think as followers of Jesus, we should always have our "spiritual eyes and ears" open to be looking for those unexpected opportunities that the Lord brings across our paths. That's why I love this story in Acts 3 - the healing of the crippled beggar. 

The story starts so... ordinary (like so many of our days): "One day Peter & John were going up to the temple..." (vs 1) They happen to arrive at the temple gate at the exact same time as a crippled guy being carried by his friends to be set down for the day to beg. 30 seconds later and he misses them. But he wasn't late and they weren't early because I believe they had a "divine appointment". 

You can read the story in verses 1-10. This was the crippled guy's moment where he would be healed. This was Peter & John's first chance to put into practice what Jesus had told them would happen - that they would begin to do the things that He had been doing. 

And it's also here that we first begin hearing the phrase "In Jesus' name." Peter said to him, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." (vs 6) 

Later as Peter is explaining to the gathered crowd what had happened, he said, "By faith in the 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." (vs 16)

The crowd was "filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." (vs 10) Once again, Peter is given a golden opportunity to preach about the resurrection and confirm it's authenticity as an eyewitness: "...you killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this!" (vs 15)

This "one day" started off ordinary enough but it turned into quite an event - this divine appointment - and trust me, it was only the beginning...