Who Is Sitting Near You?

Daily Reading: Acts 14

Scripture Focus: Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. (Acts 14.8)

Devotional Thought: Staying at a hotel in a strange city, I made sure the door was closed – which automatically locked it. Then, I slid the security chain in place. After that, I turned the thumb lock, engaging the dead bolt. Safe… No wait… I undid the dead bolt, slid the chain off, opened the door and hung out the "Do not Disturb" sign! Nothing like a piece of cardboard to keep you safe from those dangerous housekeepers! My motto? When it comes to safety, redundancy pays off!

When it comes to communicating a spiritual truth, redundancy often pays off as well. Luke used it when he wrote that the lame man in Lystra... was sitting... could not use his feet... was crippled from birth... had never walked... All this redundancy has a spiritual message for us:

• Sitting. The lame man was sitting for real and practical reasons. He could not stand! We need to remember that the spiritually sick can do little more than sit. God, in his grace, sends us to see them, to minister to them, to invite them.

• Cannot use feet. Oftentimes we say that “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” The fact of the matter is, the chains of sin cannot be broken except by the blood of Jesus! It’s all grace!

• Crippled from birth. Wow. We need to remember that people are born with this debilitating condition we call sin. It’s all they know until the light of Jesus penetrates their darkness.

• Never walked. When attempting to do something for the first time, we are all unsteady. We must patiently help those who would get up and walk. They will succeed, but they need our help!

Are there people "sitting" near you?

Prayer: Father, help me to see that those who are crippled by sin need your grace, just as I do. Help me also to see that they need my help, not my judgment. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. 19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? 20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. 21 You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. 22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. 24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt. (Psalms 71:17-24)