Keeping In Step
Acts 3:1-10
One day Peter and John  were going up to the temple  at the time of prayer-at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate  called Beautiful.....( read more )
 
Proverbs 16:9 says that people will often make plans but God determines our steps .  Have you ever wondered how many of your steps are actually determined by God?  We take thousands of steps every day, sometimes we even count them on our wrists or on our phones with fancy counters, but have you ever stopped to think if your steps were walking into opportunities that were designed by God specifically for you? 

As the early church was forming, Peter and his friend John were heading to the temple for the three o'clock prayer service. At the same time, a man who was unable to walk was also coming to the temple, but he was being carried by his friends to a spot where he would beg for money from the worshippers. This man, likely a "regular" at the temple gates, must have spent many days sitting in his spot, which also meant Jesus himself likely passed by at some point in his ministry. 

But this day was different. This day was going to change everything for him, and for the growing community of Jesus followers as well.  Peter and John came to pray and this man came to beg for money, but God had other plans.  The Bible describes this moment as a chance encounter, but it wasn't. Peter and John saw the man and stopped to speak to him, even when they were busy with their own plans. Then Peter healed him and immediately the man could walk. This one action started a chain of evangelistic opportunities that no one could have predicted, and, because of this, thousands came to follow Jesus. 

There are moments we often call divine appointments where God has us in just the right spot at just the right time, but unless we are expecting them we could easily miss the opportunities. You may have a plan for the rest of the day, but would you be open to a divine appointment from God?  
    
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I know you have a plan and I am thankful that I can be included in your purposes. Help me to watch for opportunities from you and help me to be flexible enough to see them even in the business of me day.

Monday (July 10): Acts 3:11-26