Acts 4:24, 30, 31
“Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them… Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Curry with a Side of Miracle
I was in an Indian restaurant eating with one of my friends. It was a sunny, hot spring afternoon. I was eating one of my favorite dishes, the aloo palak, a mildly spicy potato and green spinach curry. As I was talking with one of my American friends about web design, I looked around the restaurant, and my attention was drawn to a South Asian man with a cushioned neck brace. Somehow, I immediately knew that I was to pray for him, and no, it was not from the comfort of my own seat. I waited a bit for the individual to finish his meal.
Fortunately, traditional Indian cuisine is eaten with hands, not spoons and forks, so as soon as he finished, he went to the back of the restaurant where there were a couple of sinks. I took the opportunity and got up to meet him. As I washed my hands as well, I did my best to strike up a conversation. The man’s name was Ahmed. I asked if he would let me pray for him, and shockingly he agreed. I prayed in the name of Jesus as I put my hand on his shoulder, and afterwards I asked how he was feeling. He said his neck felt “significantly better.” Perhaps I was more surprised than anybody!
Acts 4, the Church, and Us
Understanding the context of Acts 4 is indispensable. The worldwide Christian movement, which now is 2000 years old, was only a few months old at that point. It was, in terms of movements, still in its embryonic stage. You could also say this was a critical inflection point. Would Christianity be defined by boldness or timidity? Would it mold itself to fit the culture around it, or would it stay true to the confrontational fire starter who had begun it? It was then that this prayer was prayed, one of the intercessory moments that would set the DNA of the Christian movement for generations to come.
It has always been the will of God for wonders and miraculous healings to be done through with the Name of Jesus. My desire is that in the future miracles will become even more commonplace, though today I function in these so little of the time.
Boldness is not a given. It’s not like talent or aptitude. It’s a gift of God that comes through communion with him. The best way to get boldness is to ask for it. It is ultimately God who enables his servants to speak his word with great boldness.
Pray with me
// Sovereign Lord, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them, I pray that you consider the threats of unbelievers and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal, and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
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