This entry originally appeared on my disability blog, I hate stairs.
Today marks my first Sunday of writing I hate stairs. God has blessed me richly. If it wasn’t for Him, I would not be where I am today. Through the work of many brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as many others, sufficient funds were raised to build me and my brother a wheelchair accessible house about seven years ago. About a year before that, funds were raised to help us replace our 1979 Ford Club Wagon with a brand new accessible van.
It can almost be overwhelming to think of all the ways in which the Lord has blessed me and my family. I don’t know why we always doubt the Lord and His promises.
28”And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
We sometimes become so worried about these needs that God knows we have need of that we miss the bigger, more important promise.
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.
My grandfather used to say that if it wasn’t for the second part of verse 39, he wouldn’t have a shot at heaven. “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off…” He said he was “far off” on three counts. First, he was not a Jew, so he was far off in ethnicity. Second, he was born in Rome, Mississippi, far off in location. And thirdly, he lived almost 2000 years since the promise was made, putting him far off in time as well.
But the promise was made. It was made.