Acts 3:6-9 ~ walking and leaping and praising God

Acts 3:6-9

But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Several decades ago, when my dad left my mom, we used to have a tape called Marinatha with a song called, "Walking and Leaping and Praising God."  My mom, brother and I used to listen to it on summer mornings as we started to work and to pack up our belongings. You know, you'd think we'd have gotten tired of it, but we didn't. It seemed to perk us up and pull us along. Years later I heard it and thought, "Corny." But at the time it was the Word of God to us and the Holy Spirit ministered to us in that song.

I really did not know where it came from in the Bible. 

So many years later, our daughter Isabelle was diagnosed with so many health issues and she would not live. About 10 of the Church Family met us at another Church for their Wednesday night healing and I cried to a friend about Isabelle's left hand not being formed. My reading that night was about Jesus healing a withered hand. I had some hope, but not a lot. Even today, three and a half years later, it causes some pain. 

One of the things about grief, little waves will hit from time to time. And on Saturday, it was beautiful and warm. I stood outside and could see our little lake. The heavens display the glory of God. And I asked, "Why Father God, did You want to give me that reading that causes pain? Why?"  And a Hawk flew by, just as my prayer finished. Our little lake points north and south - the Hawk was beautiful and flew south. We do not often see Hawks.

So I looked up Hawks.

Job 39:26

Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars

and spreads his wings toward the south

And later that day I felt teary eyed as I wondered again. Nothing seemed to change in that remembrance.  But I wondered.

At Needlepoint, last Tuesday, we were talking about Clark bringing things up in Church and people grow from their questions being part of the sermon.

Our Sermon was on Acts 3. 

 http://www.hopepointe.org/index.php?option=com_biblestudy&view=studydetails&id=122&templatemenuid=1&Itemid=130

Psalm 68:19

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah

It is a beautiful thing to be heard by Father God. To know Isabelle has been healed. Leaping with Joy. Dancing. Knowing the hills and highways of Heaven. Safe and Loved. Cared for by tender hands. In God's Kingdom.  Knowing if her mother and father should forget her, she is not forgotten by God. In the love of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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