RE Verse reading–Acts 3:1-10 (day five) “Peter looked straight at him. . .then Peter said, ‘Look at us!’ ” (vs 4) As a preacher, I am familiar with this necessary step. Part of helping someone is to gain (ask for) their attention. Most of us don’t know too little, we know too much! Like the lame man, we live in a steady, disorienting stream of information and people. Our defense mechanism? Process little. Who has time or energy? For God to work in our lives, we have to learn a new skill. Turn off the noise. Be still. Ignore most things, concentrate deeply on others. So Peter’s words had nothing to do with ego. His request was motivated by concern for the man, not his own need for attention. One thing that the church must always teach is the necessity and value of being still. “You shall meditate on it day and night” (Joshua 1:8) When we learn to pay attention, good things happen.
Amen to “turn off the noise”. Thanks Pastor Don for the reminder. As Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God.” The world around us is sick (hurting), and we have the “cure” – Christ. Lots of voices are coming at us from all directions… “be still”, hear “His” voice, and as you say “good things will happen.” Thank you Pastor for your faithfulness to our Lord and to us, opening up the Word … we appreciate you so much.