The Beautiful Gate

One of the doors that led into God’s temple at Jerusalem was called the "Beautiful Gate". The decorations at the gate walls were impressive and people yearned to enter through that gate all the time.

However, people with defects or visible illness were not allowed inside the gate. Inside the gate was beauty, freedom and the presence of God, but outside were laid the sick who were characterised by poverty, sadness, pain and neglect.

The families of the sick people only put them before the gate and left them to their fate. This was the story in Jerusalem at the time the apostles started their work. Peter and John were going to the temple to pray when they met a lame man who had been laid at the gate to beg for alms. The man was filled with sorrow as he watched people entering and leaving the "Beautiful Gate" daily but could not follow them because he was lame (Acts 3:1-3).

Have you experienced such a situation in your life before? You may not be physically lame but your trade, office work, business, family problems, schooling, finances and marriage, as well as sickness, may be lameness to you. You may need only a little help, but who can you lean upon? Men are disappointing you, as well as brethren, sisters, family and friends, and there seems to be no hope; but your time of salvation is now.

Jesus did not heal the lame man before he died, but Peter and John did. The lame man wanted a temporal benefit from persons who entered the temple gate, but Peter and John restored him to permanent health through Jesus’ name When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked an alms. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up; and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God" (Acts 3:4-9).

The Lord will turn your sour situation soon, so that people can praise him. Nothing is late before the Lord, and your night will be turned into day. The lame man got up and rejoiced, though he never knew that his salvation was to take place that afternoon.

The eyes of the Lord sweep the earth for Him to strengthen His chosen "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him". (2 Chronicles 16:9). Let us all therefore have faith in the Lord and wait patiently for him; have trust in him, call upon him and he will bring you out of all your problems.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Aren’t you one of his chosen? The Lord will change your disgrace into grace. May God be with us all as we wait for the Jesus Christ.

Bro Joseph Oppong (Shama, Ghana)