September 10, 2009 - Acts 9:34

“’Aeneas,’ Peter said to him, ‘Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.’ Immediately Aeneas got up.” Acts 9:34.
The young movement of Jesus-followers was in the midst of an unusual time of peace, and Peter travelled to Lydda, which is west of Jerusalem and on the way to Joppa, at the coast of the Mediterranean. One of the highlights of his stay in Lydda was to visit with Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. During the visit with Aeneas, Peter told him that Jesus healed him and that he was to get up. Immediately he was healed!
Have you ever been used by Jesus in the healing of someone? I have, and I must say that I have gone through all sorts of emotions surrounding the event. These emotions range from pride (“I must be something special for God to use me!”) to humility (“I can’t believe that God could use a knucklehead like me!”) and many others, as well. As wonderful as the healing is, the primary focus needs to be on the majestic, mystifying grace of God the Father, in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. It is so easy to look at all the other peripheral things regarding the healing instead of focusing on the Healer.
Peter, in this verse, gave obvious attention to who the True Healer was. Peter’s life was now totally dedicated to giving full attention to Jesus, and healing was just one aspect. Jesus was now Peter’s all-in-all! So, perhaps instead of focusing on the healing, or even on Peter, let’s focus on the True Healer, Jesus.
Questions to consider: What can you do today to focus more on Jesus and not the circumstances in your life, whether good or bad? Is there anything that you need to say to Him, perhaps to get straight or that needs cleaning up? Is there anything from which you need to “get up and take care of”?
Prayer: Father, thank You that You are the True Healer and that You desire to help us “get up and take care of” all that is not right in our lives and to heal us. Help us to remember that all of this is from Your precious hands! Amen.