Batting a thousand

I just like the picture

“Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both. They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls, hoping they would be touched by Peter’s shadow when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all were healed.” - Acts 5:12-16, The Message

As I read these words recently, a different vignette from the apostles' story came to mind - the time when immediately following the death of Jesus they were hunkering down behind locked doors “for fear of the Jews” (John 20:19, NIV). At that time, even a young serving girl could provoke Peter into denying he knew the Lord. But no more. Not since the Holy Spirit had come and changed these men forever. By the time we get to Acts 5, I don't know how much time has elapsed since the Resurrection. Whether it's been a few months or a bit longer, those days of hiding are long gone. Now wherever they go people want a piece of them. Even Peter's shadow seems to have healing properties. From all over the city and the immediate surrounding area the sick and tormented are brought to them and in every case “all of them were healed” (v. 16). How exciting a season of ministry this must have been for them (there would be other seasons not so exciting that the Epistles seem to allude to) – to “bat a thousand” Every time they prayed, stuff happened, results were seen, people were blessed and “more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number” (v. 14).

In Acts 5, the apostles bat like  Roy Hobbs at Wrigley

In my twenty-one and a half years as a pastor, I have not lived through such a season - yet. Certainly God has answered prayer. Certainly there have been seasons where I had the feeling that ala blind Barimaeus in Jericho (see Mark 10) “Jesus was passing by” but I have never batted a .1000 - ever. Having said this, as I imagine this scene I get the feeling that the apostles were just as surprised as everyone else. It wasn't that long ago when a man stood before Jesus with his demonized son and reported, “I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not” (Mark 9:18). Admittedly, that healing would have been a tall order for anyone. And while this occurred in pre-Pentecost days, I think these guys understood clearly enough that whatever power they were manifesting as they prayed over the multitude that were brought to them had come to them as a gift from heaven.

It was just like the "old" days

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” is the last thing Jesus said to his disciples prior to the Ascension (Matthew 28:20). I can't help but think on those days when people are getting healed left and right that they must have laughed together as it brought to mind the times when Jesus had been physically among them and had done the same (e.g., Luke 4:40). As good as his word, he was still among them by his Spirit and still working (see John 5:17). Just like he had said, he hadn't abandoned them like orphans; instead he was very much present and working wondrously through each of them. In fact, the best thing about this “red letter day” for the apostles was the certainty that just as Jesus was in the Father, they were in him and he, by faith, was in them (John 14:18-20).

A few posts ago, I shared about how during my recent ministry trip to Africa, Troy, one of the elders of our fellowship, and myself had prayed over about 45 ladies with HIV (see Ignorance really can be bliss). Recently I heard through our host that day that one of these women is now testifying of being healed. If that is the case, I'm happy for her and am honored to be a disciple who had placed his hand on her head and prayed the name of Jesus over her. I didn't prepare for that moment. I didn't engage in a long season of prayer and fasting. I wasn't feeling especially anointed or spiritual. I shared the Word and then gave an invitation for prayer. I really don't follow baseball, but as I figure it one “hit” out of 45 at-bats (AB) comes out to a .022% batting average (BA). Yeah, they don't give out awards for that. For the sake of those I pray for and for the glory of the Name, I wish I had a better batting average. But until then, I will continue to swing away 'cause you never know – today might be the day that I hit the long ball and some traumatized or severely ill individual bounces their way home like the beggar bounding into the Temple healed and set free (see Acts 3). Ultimately, though my results are a lot less spectacular than what happened through the apostles in the heady days of Acts 5, I concur with what John Wimber once said about these things: “Obedience to God’s word is the fundamental reason that I pray for the sick and receive prayer personally, even when I do not see healing as a result of those prayers. I decided long ago, that if one hundred people receive prayer and only one is healed, it is better than if none receive prayer and no one is healed.” But gee...it sure would be fun to hit a few more over the fence than I usually do. Sure God gets all the glory. I just need to be reminded from time to time that he is in me and I am in him (John 14:20). 

"Swing away, Charlie. Swing away."