Our Great Healer

The healing of a lame man by Peter and John shocked the people. They recognized the man now jumping around the temple and couldn't deny that he was that lifelong-disabled beggar they'd seen at the gate each day. The reaction gave Peter a golden opportunity to tell them that it was their own God who had raised, glorified and therefore validated Jesus of Nazareth by whose authority and power this man had been healed. He also heavily rebuked them for killing the Messiah. Although physical healings are seen by evangelicals usually as indicators of spiritual salvation, they should instead prompt us to think about salvation in a more holistic way, remembering that these healings point to not only forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life, but the redemption of our bodies also. If we pray for the faith of the likes of Peter, we shall enjoy a fresh excitement about our resurrection.