Meditation

Read Acts 3:1-10

Taking [the lame man] by the right hand, [Peter] helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk.—Acts 3:7-8 (NIV)

I often think my family’s situation will never change. We will never have our own home, our brother will never recover from mental illness, and we will never be free from our financial difficulties. One day a friend said to me, “Lina, you should pray like never before.” I thought, What does he mean “like never before”? Should I begin praying with my eyes open rather than shut? Should I pray standing rather than sitting?

Later I came to understand that “like never before” means I should pray with full trust in God. Rather than looking at my family situation as something that will never change, I should look to God, who has the power to change everything.

“Like never before” reminded me of the lame man at the temple gate, thinking he would never be able to walk, much less jump. Then one day he met Peter and John. Instead of giving the man money, Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Immediately the man “jumped to his feet and began to walk.”

The power of God and the faith and witness of Christ-followers like Peter and John can assure me that when I face a situation that I think will never change, I can pray “like never before” and put full faith in God, whose power can change everything.

Prayer: Almighty God, in difficult situations help us to trust that you can do miracles like we have never seen or heard of before. Amen.

Thought for the day: Today I will put my trust in God’s power.

Linawati Santoso, Indonesia