What is My Response?

“So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them – walking, leaping and praising God.”

Acts 3:8

 

          For every move of God, there should be an equal response. When Jesus healed the demon possessed man, bound by chains and inhabited by a legion of devils, that man begged to go with Jesus. When Mary of Magdelene was delivered from her 7 demons, she became a follower of the Lord. Peter’s restoration after his denial of Christ, renewed his devotion and he was found in the place where God wanted him to receive the Holy Spirit and he preached the most dynamic sermon in history. When Paul was knocked off his horse, he gave his life to Jesus and became one of the most prolific evangelists ever, and wrote most of the New Testament.

          There were bad responses too. Balaam responded to God’s voice with disobedience. Jonah responded by running away. Ananais and Sappahira responded to the moving of God in the church by lying to the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of those who preached the gospel because of selfish ambition and conceit. There is always a response to the moving of the Lord. But I love this man’s response to the move of God in his life – walking, leaping and praising God.

          I have known a lot of Christians in my life. Having been to over 2 dozen churches, you meet a lot of people. I can probably count on my fingers the ones that actually made Christianity look attractive to me. Rather than walking, leaping and praising God, it was more like limping, groveling and blaming God. Or strolling, wandering and forgetting God. Any number of adjectives will do, but you get the picture.

          Jesus died for you! He left His throne in glory to clothe Himself in humanity and take your punishment on the cross. He allowed Himself to be mocked, whipped, and crucified so that you don’t have to go to hell. He was raised from the dead to give you everlasting life and prove that He is the God He claimed to be. Seated at the right hand of God, He lives ot make intercession for you. Not only has He blessed you with every spiritual blessing, as though that wasn’t more than enough, he also bestows material blessings on you that you might be a blessing to others. He saves you, He keeps you, He is coming back to take you home. You should be walking and leaping and praising God. In light of who is and what He’s done, what trial on this earth is big enough to override the love and gratitude we ought to feel towards our God? Paul called them light afflictions that last but for a moment.

          Moses would tell the children of Israel, “He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you those great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.” He who has done great and awesome things in our sight is deserving of our praise. Which one of us here has not seen the great and awesome work of God? May we, like this man, respond to the move of God in our lives in such a way that fills those around us with wonder and amazement at what the Lord has done.

 

Application: Today, I will respond to the Lord’s work in my life with gratitude and praise by serving with a smile, worshiping with my whole heart and making myself available to anyone that needs anything as the Lord is always there for me.