We can be an Instrument in God's Hands

Today I read Acts 3, where Peter heals a man who has been lame since his birth. Peter does it to help the man, but also to create a teachable moment. When the Jews in the synagogue see the man they recognize as being the man who was lame from birth leaping about and running and walking and rejoicing in his new found ability to walk and run, they are astonished. Peter takes the time to teach them it is done by their faith in Jesus Christ. The doctrine Peter teaches is not new and is very similar to that taught in Acts 2.

I am interested in the lame man who Peter healed. I wonder what type of a person he was. Was he lame from birth so that, like the blind man, Peter could show forth his power unto the convincing of others of the power of Jesus Christ? Whether that is the entire reason he was born lame or not, that is definitely the reason he was at that synagogue that morning, I can assure you. When I was a missionary I used to call God the grand Puppetmaster. I meant no disrespect by saying such, but rather I was referring to the fact that God can help us get to where we need to be and put people in our way and it all seems so effortless to us. Much like a marionette He moves us to where we need to be and moves others into our way so that we meet who we are supposed to.

I stopped believing in coincidences when I was a missionary too. Things would just seemingly happen that when I stepped back and viewed them in their entirety, found that there was a little too much order in those seemingly random events and that in fact it is God making sure we are where we need to be. If we desire it, God will use us as His tool here on the earth. Sometimes He will use us that way anyway, but most of the time I think it needs to be our decision and needs to be our choice. But it is a wonderful thing to be Heavenly Father's instrument here on the earth and to help someone in need. I would advise not asking Heavenly Father to use you as His instrument unless you really mean it though, because a lot of the time you will be required to give up things you would rather be doing and will have to go out of your comfort zone. But the reward is amazing and like nothing else in this world. It is like the scriptures state, if you would lose your life for His sake, you will find it. And it is very, very worth it as any of the General Authorities of the church or missionaries will tell you. Until tomorrow.