Stop going for coins! You are sat at the entrance of the beautiful gate asking for coins, when you can go in into the beautiful gate and be a giver of coins. The man at the beautiful gate has been there since birth (Acts 3:2-8). He was born lame from birth, and he’s been carried every day for forty years to the gate. All we know is that he has never entered the beautiful gate but has always been dropped off at the entrance and begging for coins.
On a fateful day while sitting at the entrance of the beautiful gate as usual, he saw Peter and John about to enter the beautiful gate and asked for a coin, but he was given more than he bargained for, and his life never remained the same. When he asked for a coin from Peter and John, he only asked in passing, but Peter looked him in the eye sternly with intention. Sternly and intently, Peter looked at the man also looked at him because he wanted the man to know how serious and intentional he was to give him more than the coin he was asking for.
Peter reiterates that he is not one of the people that has been giving him money, though he had neither silver nor gold to offer him, but what he has to offer him is worth more than gold nor silver. Something valuable, something worthwhile that will last him a lifetime. And Peter asked the man to look at him, peter was deliberate about this, he wanted the man to know that he doesn’t joke with his offer and that the man must be willing and intentional to be healed. “Look at me,” said Peter. “I’m not just one of the people you’ve been asking for money from. I want to give you something more than a coin. So, it must be personal. You must be intentional about it”.
Peter was intentional about it. He made the guy realize that you must be intentional to get what you want in life. And the guy looked at him. And Peter said to him, “silver or gold I do not have, but in the name of Jesus, rise up. Peter grabbed the man’s hand and pulled him up and the feet of the man started shaking, the bones creaking and realigning within itself. The beggar stood up and was able to walk leaping with joy in his heart, he’s got more than a coin.
It shows that the guy had always wanted more out of life than the coin, only that he didn’t know how much he wanted it until he met with Peter. The man stood up and followed Peter and John into the beautiful gate, the gate he has been sitting at the entrance since he was young. He was able to walk with them into the beautiful gate. He must have been longing to go into that beautiful gate, but nobody took him. The people that always drop him off, always drop him at the gate, and he never thought to himself to crawl in or drag himself in or ask someone to pull him in.
Until he met with intentionality, that the man was able to go into the beautiful gate, he rejoices, leaping with joy, followed Peter and John into the beautiful gate.
How long have you been sitting down where you are begging for coins, when you can be the giver of coins? When you can walk, how long have you been sitting at the beautiful gate? How long have you been there begging? When you are made to go into the beautiful gate and be a giver of coins and be a blessing, how long have you been sat there with your head bowed? Not coming out with full potential, with the capacity and the ability that the Lord has given to you.
How long have you been bound by your circumstances, your situation, your problems? which makes you see how the beautiful gate is but doesn’t give you the confidence and boldness to go into the beautiful gate. Are you intentional, just like Peter and the guy?
Look unto Jesus the author and the finisher of that which you hold on to. Just like the guy looked at Peter and he was pulled up, Jesus is able to pull you up from that depression, anxiety, that circumstance, that situation, that problem. Christ wants to pull you up so you can leap for joy and come into the beautiful gate and enjoy what is in the beautiful gate?
So today, stop asking for coins. Stop sitting at the beautiful gate. Get up in the name of Jesus and leap for joy into the beautiful gates, because that’s where you belong, you don’t belong at the gate, you belong inside the beautiful gate, which can be found in Christ our King. Get up today in the name of Jesus, and begin to walk in the joy of your Maker, Hallelujah!
