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Acts 3
What has God given you that you can share today with others? Something jumped out at me reading this chapter this morning. It’s one of those little seemingly insignificant statements that you generally just skim right over without notice. But it caught me today. When Peter and John went to the temple to pray and the lame man asked them for money, it says, “Peter looked straight at him, as did John.” (Acts 3:4a). So what, right?
The fact that Luke mentioned this detail makes me think it was not a typical reaction. I imagine there were a lot of beggars at every entrance to the temple. And I imagine people going into the temple often did their best to ignore them. I know I would. Even the ones who did give likely just tossed some token coins in their basket without so much as a glance at the person behind the basket. But Peter and John looked straight at him. Even before they gave him his legs back, they gave him their attention. They cared about him.
I may not be able to help a lame man walk again, but I can give anybody my attention. I can make an effort to genuinely care about someone and the situation they are in, whatever that may be, even if I can’t really do much to help it. And, more than tossing money at someone just to ease a guilty conscience, isn’t that what God’s command to love our neighbors is really about?
Ex. 3-4
What are Moses’ objections to God’s call, and what are God’s answers to each objection? What excuses are you making to avoid obedience to God? As I see it, Moses made four excuses before coming right out and saying what he thought. Here are some thoughts about those excuses:
- Moses’ first thought was his own unworthiness. “Who am I that I should go…?” (Ex. 3:11). God responded, “I am with you.” (Ex. 3:12). Who Moses was and who we are is never the point. It’s always about who God is.
- I don’t quite get where Moses’ second question came from, but I think maybe it stemmed from his doubt. He wanted to know what to say if the Israelites asked what God’s name was. Was this Moses’ way of asking God for His credentials? If so, that would make Moses’ first question “who am I” and his second “who are You”. God responded by saying, “I Am who I Am.” No further descriptive was needed because God is everything. Though God’s response as to who He is was brief, He did go into some detail as to what He would do.
- Next, even though God had just said that the Israelite elders would listen to him, Moses asked, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me…? This was his fear talking. And so God gave him signs. But I think the signs were more for Moses than they were to convince the people.
- Moses then turned to his inadequacy, saying, “I have never been eloquent …I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Ex. 4:10). God’s answer to this one is big to me. God made everything that is. That includes each of us with all of our limitations. The beautiful thing about God’s response is that He makes it quite clear that He is not limited by our limitations.
- Finally Moses just came right out and said, “Please send someone else“ (Ex. 4:13). This one made God angry. Still, He conceded to let Aaron go with Moses, which finally convinced him. Why is it that our limitless God, who is in all and above all and who calls us by name is not enough for us?
Ps. 12
Isn’t this ever a prayer for today?!? Faithfulness and loyalty are gone. Flattery and deception prevail. People are their own ‘gods’ and serve only themselves. And, “what is vile is honored by the human race.” (Ps. 12:8b). But there is more to this Psalm than that despair. Peter, in yesterday’s reading of Acts 2, said that David was a prophet. We see evidence of that truth everywhere in the Psalms and this one is no exception. And so he states the promise that has not yet come. “I will now arise, says the LORD.” (Ps. 12:5). He will arise and silence those flattering lips and “will protect us forever from the wicked.” (Ps. 12:7b). Amen!!