One of my favorite stories in the Bible is Acts 3:1-10. As Peter and John entered the temple for prayer, a crippled man, lame from birth, was begging and asking for alms (money or goods). Peter and John said to the man, “Look at us.” Then Peter continued, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (v. 6). And the man stood, walking and leaping and praising God!
Another similar story is the man at the healing Pool of Bethesda in John 5. For 38 years, this man lived with a terrible disability. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, the man stated that he was unable to get into the pool before others; therefore, he could not receive his healing. But Jesus didn’t put much stock in the lame man’s excuse for not getting into the pool. Jesus proceeded to tell the man to get up and walk, and he did!
Can you imagine how these men felt? They were lame and crippled their whole lives, probably feeling hopeless day after day as they had to beg for money and food. They probably resigned themselves to the fact that this was their lot in life, unable to work, feeling worthless and depressed. But instead of getting monetary gifts that day, they received healing, an unexpected blessing!
I was a single mom for most of my two daughters’ childhoods. It was a long, difficult season raising my girls on my own. For most of those years, I had to work two jobs just to make ends meet. I felt frustrated and sad at times that life was such a struggle. I constantly felt like I would never get ahead of my financial hardships.
In 2003, while working at a dental office, one of the hygienists invited me to Covenant Fellowship Church. This church gave me a sense of hope in my struggles and took the focus off my sadness. It wasn’t long before I started attending regularly and getting plugged into all the events this new church offered. Although my struggles as a single parent didn’t dissipate, I started looking at my circumstances in a different light. Within a year, I became a member, then I was baptized. I was now adopted into a family that cared for me and my girls and provided the love and support that only comes through the love of Jesus.
I look back on all the unexpected blessings my Good Father has provided for me in the form of a new job after a lay-off, a place to live when I had no place to go, and countless other blessings. However, the greatest unexpected blessing in my life is my salvation. Before I became a Christian, I wasn’t living for Christ; in fact, he was the furthest thing from my mind. I lived a life that was centered on fulfilling my own needs. But God had a different plan for me. He gave me an unexpected gift, and it changed my world. This gift brought a new meaning and purpose to my life that was no longer focused on me, and I liked this new me. I had a different sense of love, care, and respect for people, and my struggles appeared so temporary when I looked at the greater picture of heaven. This gift also brought forgiveness in relationships that I didn’t think was possible. It brought a relief that all my sins were erased because one man loved me enough to sacrifice his life for mine.
That’s our God! He loves to give gifts and “unexpected blessings” because he cares for us. We don’t have to work on a merit system or have a checklist of good works to be born into his family. We receive this gift freely. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” I will never stop being grateful for that gift.
