There are certain King James phrases that are ingrained in my brain. One of them is found in Acts 3.
Peter and John went up to the temple at the time of prayer. A certain lame man was there.
The lame man was carried to the gate of the temple daily to beg people for money. When he saw Peter and John, he called out for alms (money given to the poor). That stopped Peter in his tracks. “Look at us!” he declared. So, the lame man did, expecting to receive some cash.
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” Shew and praise the Lord! I have been reading the story for days. I use the 1984 NIV, but the words from the KJV, “Silver and gold have I none…” have stirred in my mind.
The lame man wanted money, but got something better.
Last Sunday, I spoke to a woman who is facing a 15-year sentence. It’s a done deal. She is now awaiting her transfer. What do you tell someone who is going to prison and will not be home for 15 years? People will change. Families will change. Plus, a million others. I love her and want so many things for her. She has come to Bible study for weeks. She is a young mom who just got on the wrong path. Like the man in the Acts 3 story, she had been paralyzed, but her paralysis was caused by drugs.
It was one of the last times I would see her. We didn’t say “You go girl” or “You’ve got this!” That would have lasted for about 15 seconds. I couldn’t get her out of it. I couldn’t shorten it. I couldn’t fix it. But what I had I gave her: Proverbs 3:5-6. They are great verses whether you’re in jail or not. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t depend on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps.” Two verses printed on little cards. We picked them apart and applied them to our lives.
We trust in many things and people. The Lord seems to be a last resort when we can’t fix something. Then, when we dotrust Him, we only trust a little, not usually with all of our hearts. The “Don’t depend on your own understanding” part is HUGE. We try to figure it all out by ourselves. We need, we want, to wrap our minds around what is truly going on. How in the thunder are we going to grasp the Creator of the Universe? Seriously. I’m from Jerry Bottom. If I could figure everything out about God, He wouldn’t be very big.
We went through the rest of the verses discussing what acknowledging Him would look like and how He can direct our steps if we let Him.
I can’t make anyone walk like Peter and John did. I cannot make your cancer go away. I cannot make your sentence shorter, your marital problems dissolve, or your strong-willed, sassy-mouthed child simmer down. Oh, but I know the Guy Who can! What I can do is link arms with you, reminding you that you are not alone. I will pray for you to be stronger and wiser than ever before but not on your own – with HIS strength and HIS guidance. I will go to the Lord on your behalf as you travel this hard valley and will celebrate with you on the other side.
Like Peter, silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give thee.