A Lame Beggar & a Beautiful Young Woman

My last article included my thoughts about Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Although I will not say how many other birthdays she has had, it was my wife's birthday this week. And so my final article of 2008, “A Lame Beggar & a Beautiful Young Woman”, is the result of some thoughts I have had regarding her. You will need to read the entire article to understand the connection between the lame beggar and the beautiful young woman. The short answer to this question is quite simple; me.

In the 3rd Chapter of the Book of Acts, Luke was inspired to record the first "apostolic miracle" following Pentecost. To me it has become one of the most profound and telling miracles found in Scripture. In verses one through ten we read, “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, 'Look at us!' And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, 'I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-walk!' And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

The Divine One had clearly orchestrated this meeting of the lame beggar and His two apostles. We read that this man had been lame from his mother's womb and learn later that this "man was more than forty years old" when this miracle occurred. The religious leaders had described it as "a noteworthy miracle" and although they wished to, they proclaimed, "We cannot deny it". "Weak" could not sufficiently describe the condition of this man's legs and lower body prior to the miracle. Forty years of unused muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons had left him utterly helpless to stand, walk, or leap.

The word tells us that the lame man was brought to the gate of the temple every day. I suppose that he had long abandoned any hope of using his legs. Sure, I believe that when he was younger he had undoubtedly longed to be able to walk and run like the other boys and girls. Perhaps he had even hoped and thought that he might be able to do so one day. But as the many years had passed, so had the thoughts and hopes of his younger years. There is no question in my mind that he had woken this day like so many days before. He would be taken to the temple gate where he would beg alms. And he would return again the following day and each day thereafter. I'm not sure of what all he would receive on any given day but his meager existence seemed dependent on his daily begging.

He certainly did not know it and had no reason to expect it, but on this day his life would be changed forever. On this day, the Sovereign One would accomplish a "noteworthy" miracle in his life. On this day he would be given new life and hope for tomorrow. On this day he would stand up and walk. On this day he would leap and praise God. He would not be carried to the temple gate tomorrow to beg alms. He would be a lame beggar no more!

As I considered the lame beggar, I couldn't help but see myself. Oh sure, I have never been lame in the same manner as he was and could not imagine the life that he had lived for more than forty years. But I concluded that I had also been lame from my mother's womb; crippled if you will, by sin. In my lameness, I was also weak and incapable of doing anything about my condition. I too sat begging at a "temple gate" but mine was of the world. The world seemed willing to give me what it had to offer, but as I know now, that too was a meager existence. And nothing it had to offer could remedy my crippled condition.

Peter and John did not find me lame and begging but a beautiful young woman came into my life. Like that of the lame beggar and the apostles, I am convinced that the Divine One had also orchestrated our meeting. But like the beggar, I was not expecting that which I would receive from her. Perhaps I would receive an interesting conversation or a date or maybe even a girlfriend. Like Peter and John, she did not possess silver or gold. In fact, she may have thought that all she had to offer was a broken life. But she wholly gave me her heart and she shared with me the gospel message of Christ. I had not expected the first and new nothing of the second. But within six months of our meeting I had become the recipient of a new life in Christ and was married to the woman who has remained the love of my life. And so it is that my wife's birthday is special to me. I was quickly approaching the age of three when this little girl was born and only our loving and gracious God knew that He would heal the "lameness" that we shared and would one day make us to be one. He is to be praised.

Like the lame beggar, I too had become enabled to stand, to walk, and to leap for the first time in my life. Sure, I had been able to stand, walk and leap with my legs since I had first learned how as a child. But now I found myself standing in Christ, empowered to walk in truth and privileged to leap in my heart and soul out of praise for the miracle God had performed in my life. And like the lame man, I no longer had to beg at the gate of the temple. I had also been given hope for tomorrow. I know that God was not dependent upon this beautiful young woman to accomplish His will in my life but I am so thankful that she was the vessel He chose to work through.

Father, on her birthday and throughout the year, I thank you for my wife. Thank you for bringing her into my life as I sat as a lame man, begging for the things offered by the world. Too often the flesh is prone to return to the life of a lame beggar. Help me to keep my focus on your Son and the abundant life that is found in Him alone. I know that I am not always found "walking and leaping and praising God". Help me to do so as I ought. In this coming new year, may you cause each of your children to be renewed in their faith and with a leap in their heart and soul, live lives praising you.