Monday, February 7 – Acts 3:1-7

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order for him to beg for charitable gifts from those entering the temple grounds. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple grounds, he began asking to receive a charitable gift. But Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us!” And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!” And grasping him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.

Have you ever felt like you had nothing to offer upon seeing a friend or family member struggling? Sometimes the circumstances of life feel so overwhelming. We see something that is broken and know there is nothing we can physically do to make it better. In earthly terms, there was nothing that Peter had to offer this lame man, but he knew the greater gift that he held: the Holy Spirit alive and at work inside of Him. If you are a follower of Jesus, you also have the Holy Spirit living and working inside of you. Too often we forget how precious a gift that is. We worry so much about what people might think or the things we are not able to do that we forget about the precious hope we hold.

In Deuteronomy 33:29 the Israelites were reminded of the value of being God’s people: “Blessed are you, Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord; the shield of your help, and He who is the sword of your majesty!” Each of us knows someone who is struggling, and while we may not be healing people like Peter, we have a precious gift to give. We have the gospel, which can make a hard heart soft and redeem even the darkest circumstances. Do you have confidence in this hope of the gospel? Have you been amazed by the Holy Spirit at work in your life? You may be young or old, rich or poor, but if you are a follower of Jesus, the hope is the same. Look to the Word and learn more about this precious gift you have been given. The gospel is amazing because it has nothing to do with what you have to offer. It has everything to do with what God wants to do through you. May you taste and see the sweetness of the precious gift you have been given and share this hope with confidence, trusting in the power of the gospel.

• Who in your life is in a difficult situation? How can you love them and serve them right now?
• What are some of the blessings of the gospel? How do these things matter for your everyday life?
• Pray and thank God for the precious gift of the gospel, and then ask Him for discernment and confidence as you share His hope with others.