now as peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at lydda. there he found a man named aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. and peter said to him, “aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” and immediately he rose. and all the residents of lydda and sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. [acts 9:32-35]
acts 9 so far has been about saul, but the attention returns to peter, who is now traveling from samaria (acts 8:25) through lydda to sharon, on the eastern coast of the mediterranean sea–his travels are described as a “here and there”. and though his direction may seem arbitrary, God is pre-ordaining each person who he will come into contact with, and it brings him to a lame man named aeneas (a greek name meaning ‘to praise’).
who heals, and why?
when we pray for healing, by what power are we praying, and for what reason? peter clearly demonstrates the pattern we see in scripture:
first, he prays by the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ–the one who gives healing:
“‘aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you’”
it isn’t peter, in peter’s power–as an apostle, peter is healing by the power and in the name of Jesus Christ. this is one of the reasons when we pray for healing in the Name–the Name above all the other names, Jesus!
when we pray, our sin often leads us to pray with the wrong motivations: we pray for healing selfishly, and even though we may pray with another’s relief in mind, the ultimate purpose of healing (or not healing) is to show others the power and glory of the Lord!
“and all the residents of lydda and sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”
we have many instances in scripture of miracles resulting in people only wanting Jesus for the benefits (food, healing, promise of a conquering king) but the true purpose of miracles was to turn people to the Lord, that he may receive all glory, honor and praise.
today, pray for God’s presence to powerfully work in your heart–not only so you and others can receive the blessings of healing, but so that God is glorified, and that the lost might turn to and know the Lord!
let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.” [hosea 6:3]
~ce