A little post to say that I'm not dead. I was reading Acts this morning and was inspired to write a little and thought I'd share it here just in case someone checks this blog over summer :)
This stuck out to me this morning. As I’m reading this chapter, I’m amazed by how God worked through Paul and the disciples in the early church. Paul saw something in this man that had been crippled from birth because the Holy Spirit gave him the ability to notice what was happening in the invisible, spiritual realm. Paul saw faith.
Faith, being sure of what one hopes for and certain of what one does not see, Paul saw this as he gazed into this man’s eyes. He was able to merely look at someone and realize that this man who was a cripple had faith in the impossible and believed that he could walk for the first time. But the thing is, Paul didn’t just glance at the cripple as he walked on by, he looked intently at him.
That speaks volumes to me. I know I often ask the Lord to give me His eyes for people and His heart for the needs around me, but as I read this I have to ask myself, how often do I really look intently at people? Do I actually stop and take the time to observe what someone may be going through or do I think that just smiling at someone is enough?
This phrase of “looking intently” appears some other places in the Bible and the context usually when it appears elsewhere is when a crowd is truly focused, looking intently, having their eyes fixed on something, and not being distracted by what’s going on around them or looking away. This is how Paul looked at this man who hadn’t ever walked. Paul stopped what he was doing and observed the man’s faith and in the the next verse (Acts 4:10), Paul told this man to walk. This process is reminiscent of Jesus’ ministry when He walked the earth because in Scripture there are many accounts where Jesus would look at people with compassion, heal them, and tell them, “Your faith has made you well.”
So friends, I encourage you, look at people. In the same way that Paul did here, and in the same way that Jesus looks intently at you and heals you, give people more than just a glance, a nod, and a smile. Give them your time. Look at them. Maybe you’ll see something in them and be able to call out the potential that they have. Maybe a miracle can happen.
And in the same way that you look at people intently, look intently at Jesus even more. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…” Fix your eyes on Him because He is the one writing your story and He is the One perfecting it. Don’t lose sight of the One who gave it all for you.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
That is all .
