H2O college ministries

when i was engaged to my beautiful wife, i oftened wondered why so many marriages fall apart.  I mean, if you are going to be with the most beautiful woman in the world (sorry fellas, I got her) for the rest of your life, how does that happen.  Obviously there are many reasons why marriages fail, but one common reason is that they get bored, or they lose that loving feeling.  Almost being desensitized to those emotions that once raged in you.  The routine, the constancy, the every-day-ness. 

disequilibrium in life is what enhances life.

i wonder, do we become desensitized spiritually?

In Acts 3, we have an intriquing (apologize for my piss poor spelling and laziness to check it) circumstance unfold before our eyes.  Peter and John are heading to the temple in Jerusalem for the time of daily prayer.  Luke writes for us, that at the gate beautiful, these faithful Jews have to walk through in order to get into the court yard of the temple.  But what is interesting is at the gate, sits a crippled beggar.  You know what this looks like.  At places of frequent visitors one can find easily this scene. 

I wonder, Peter and John have walked through this gate many times before and Luke tells us that he has been there everyday for many years.  What did Peter and John do in the past?

what do we normally do when we are in this situation?

this time, peter and john do something different.  They stop and ask the man to look at them and luke tells us that the man was expecting to get something from them.  “we don’t have money for you” said peter.  I can imagine what the beggar maybe thought, “suck”.  maybe even pondered if he was going to be asked to move or whatever.  but peter told the man that he was going to give him what they had, Jesus.  they healed the man physically, but Luke lets us know that he also was spiritually saved that day.  the trickle down effect ensued and by the end of the day, 5000 believed in Jesus.

what needs around you have you become desensitized to?

there is always a need around you that you can meet.  you have something to give in any situation.  give what you got!  time, prayer, money, faith, resources, a meal, a friend.  whatever.

it is easy to get desensitized to our normal surroundings and miss so much.  the best way to break that, is to create disequilibrium in your life.  do something different.  for instance, like peter and john, stop this time and give them what you got.

you can always tell somebody about what Jesus has done in you and through.  you can always speak hope into people.

la vida vive (the life lives on)