GOD'S TIMING
16th Feb 2022
It has always puzzled me how Jesus and the disciples had gone into the temple in Jerusalem on numerous occasions, passed the man crippled from birth and yet never prayed for his healing. I wonder whether it was something about God’s timing?
Peter and John were different people when they went to the temple on that momentous day. They had both just been baptised in the Holy Spirit, Peter had been forgiven for denying Jesus and given a new commission to preach the gospel. It appears that they were spiritually alert as they walked in that day.
We are all aware of the famous words that Peter spoke to the cripple, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” A wonderful miracle took place and they were launched into a new ministry.
Later we see Paul in Lystra speaking to a group of people; in the crowd there is a man who had never walked. It says in Acts 14:9, “Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that the man jumped up and began to walk.”
There are two principles here at work. First, the disciples needed to be ready and sensitive to God’s voice so that at the right moment that could act with faith and boldness. Secondly, they needed to be aware of what was happening in those to whom they were speaking. It says, “they saw he had faith to be healed” which means they had their spiritual eyes and ears open to what God was wanting to do.
Many years ago at a Faith Camp, early one morning, as I was about to lead the early morning prayer time, a man came to me and said, “God has told me that if you pray for me I will be healed.” I have to be honest and say that I didn’t feel that ‘full of faith’ at 6:30am, but this was a moment of ‘God’s Timing’. I laid my hands on this man and prayed for his healing and God did the rest.
We are living at a time when we need to be more alert spiritually than ever before, ready to pray, ready to exercise our faith, because God is preparing hearts to receive and we need to be at the right place at the right time.
by Charles Sibthorpe
