and leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. [acts 3:8]
great healing leads to great praise. have you experienced this in your life? without intentionality i can go a whole day or even days without acknowledging just how much the Lord has healed me.
my Father has plucked me out of darkness, where i was blind, deaf, even dead in my sin. he has removed his wrath from me and placed it on his Son, who willingly took my place on the cross and paid the debt for my sin. he brought me into his marvelous light, breathed life into my soul, showed me his face, gave me his Spirit who gave me a voice to cry out “Abba, Father!” he clothed me in his righteousness, and gave me a new name. he adopted me into his family and called me daughter of the King. he has given me an eternal inheritance. he has promised eternity in his presence.
i have been given much. but does my praise match the gift? often times it does not. most times it does not.
brothers and sisters, our lives were bought with a price! our lives are no longer ours to live. they are in much mightier, more gentle, more loving hands. our lives should be poured out in praise! our time, our energy, our money, our thoughts, and our deeds should be poured out in praise! like the lame beggar, we can enter the temple, with confidence in the blood of Christ, who tore the curtain in two and paved the way straight into the throne room of grace, and with hearts of gratitude, we can come walking, leaping, and praising God.
~ arwen eastman