The beloved physician Luke shared concerning the apostles of Jesus, “there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, they were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lies round about. And there they preached the gospel”, and in chapter fourteen and verse eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet”, where we read:
And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet,
being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
The verse begins, “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, ...” Luke began with the words, “and there sat a certain man” which means “and there was seated a particular male human being” “at Lystra” or “at the dwelling place, habitation, abode or town of Lystra whose name means ransoming and was a city in the eastern part of the great plain of Lycaonia”, “impotent in his feet” which means “without strength, powerless, weakly and disabled in the man's physical feet”. Luke shared how a man who was “disabled” “in his feet” was at “Lystra” where Paul, Barnabas and their companions were preaching the gospel.
The verse continues, “being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:” Luke added the words, “being a cripple” or “deprived of foot, maimed and limping” “from his mother's womb” which means “from the time the disabled man was out of his mother's belly”, “who never had walked” or “who not at any time was able to amble about to make progress”. Luke shared how the disabled man was unable to “walk” from the time he was born.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn about a particular man who was “crippled” from the time he was born. We can imagine the plight this man must have suffered as he was unable to get around like the other children or adults, and yet, this man would soon have a miraculous change. God's message of salvation through His Son Jesus is for everyone, and regardless of their “physical” condition, He wants them to be in His Kingdom. Everyone in a sense lives as “spiritually handicapped” until they believe and trust in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and when they yield to Him, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. We shall see what happens to this “crippled” man, but for now let all who read these words surrender themselves to Jesus and allow Him to cure the sin which is the most disabling part of their soul.
Next time Luke shares how Paul looked upon the cripple man, and was “beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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