Quintessential
Today’s Reading: Acts 4:21-22 (NIV)
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
Good morning!
Last night, I was crawling into bed after a very busy weekend. I think every muscle and joint in upper torso was stiff and hurting. Jeff was listening to me moan about a nasty muscle cramp I experienced while doing something extraordinarily strenuous: steering my automobile along Interstate 70. After a few minutes of heavy-duty complaining, we looked at each other and suddenly broke into a fit of hysterical laughter. Now that we’ve reached the “Golden age,” it seems as if our physical bodies are falling apart! He keeps breaking bones and teeth, and I can hardly move. This is the price we pay for stumbling around in the dark, chomping on hard candy, and not exercising every day. The slogan, “Use it or lose it” has taken on a brand new meaning. Are you feeling your age today?
The physician Luke made specific note of the invalid’s age in this passage from Acts. How much more miraculous is it that God chose to heal a man who was over the age of forty years! People were living without the modern conveniences we have today. Folks had to walk wherever they needed to go, often barefooted, with minimal protection from sharp pebbles and hardened soil. Women hauled heavy jars of water on their shoulders to and from the wells each day. Men relied upon sheer physical strength to provide the “catch of the day.” There was no fast food in Jerusalem; no microwavable one-minute meals. The lame man had spent his entire life sitting in the dirt, relying upon the kindnesses of others just to survive. Begging for food was his virtual reality. It seemed that his body aged twice as fast as he sat there all alone, crumpled up beside the temple gate. Could God’s miraculous healing in the invalid’s body mean that He has a job for all of us to do, even if we’re past the age of prime time according to our culture? Is it possible that God sees intrinsic worth in folks over the age of forty years? Can we be of real service to Jesus Christ and make a difference for His kingdom, even if we have old bones?
God sees intrinsic value in the quintessential nature of His creation. When Christ saves us, we become a perfect example of God’s highest quality and class, no matter what our age. He sees great value in the broken and frail bones of the crippled, especially those who are over the age of forty years. You need to know that are very valuable to Jesus, no matter what your age or physical limitation may be. With one Word, the Father miraculously transforms us into the quintessential perfection that only comes in knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. If you are in need of a healing makeover, cry out to Jesus. He is perfection personified, and can restore quintessential wholeness to every human heart, no matter what your age may be. So being over forty isn’t as lame as we might think! Don’t make it your life’s excuse. Take a closer look, and know that Jesus has a plan and purpose for you, even if you are over the age of forty!
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
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