Look at Us!
Expectation begins with a gaze—eyes lifted from earth to heaven.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
When Peter and John encountered the lame man at the temple gate, Peter’s first instruction wasn’t a prayer or a healing—it was a command: “Look at us.” This wasn’t a moment of self-exaltation; it was a summons to awaken expectation. Just as Jesus often drew focused attention before healing, Peter wanted the man’s heart and eyes alert, anticipating something beyond mere charity.
Today’s devotional by Ray Stedman reminds us that expecting something from God is essential to receiving what He has already made available. Too often, people drift into church with disengaged minds, hearing sermons but never truly listening—never looking. Years can pass without transformation, not because God isn’t at work, but because eyes have never truly turned toward Him in trust.
Once the man gave his full attention, Peter did something beautifully paradoxical. He confessed his lack in the material realm—he had no silver or gold. But he declared the infinite supply of heaven in the spiritual: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” That name carried life. That moment birthed healing. The man was raised to his feet—not gradually, not partially—but wholly. This miracle didn't begin with legs but with vision—eyes fixed in expectancy.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit
My child, do you see Me?
Not vaguely, not through distraction—but do you see Me with expectancy? Just as the lame man lifted his eyes to Peter and John, you are invited to lift your eyes to Me. I am not walking past you. I am not hidden behind ritual or religion. I am before you, fully present, fully willing.
Look away from silver and gold—from the things you’ve come to expect from this world—and behold what is already yours in Christ. I have not withheld Myself from you. I have spoken, I have beckoned, and I have placed within you the capacity to hear, to see, to receive.
Faith stirs not from effort but from attention—when your heart leans in, when your gaze becomes fixed on what is unseen yet more real than what surrounds you. That man at the gate knew not what would come—but he looked. And as he looked, I moved.
I do not dwell in temples made by hands, nor do I limit Myself to pews and pulpits. I am alive within you. The very name of Jesus that raised that man now lives in you. So rise—not in self-made effort, but in My life within. Leap, shout, rejoice, for you were never meant to crawl through your days. You are My dwelling, and My power in you is not partial. It is complete.
See Me. Expect Me. Walk in Me.
Scriptures referenced: Acts 3:1–8, Matthew 11:15, Ephesians 3:20, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 4:18
Real-Life Analogy
It’s like waiting at a train crossing as the warning bells ring. You can’t see the train yet—but your ears perk up, your eyes fix on the horizon, and your heart begins to anticipate its arrival. You know it's coming, even before the first car appears. In the same way, expectation tunes your soul to the movement of God—you may not see it yet, but He is near, and when your eyes are set upon Him, you’re ready to receive what He is already bringing your way.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that I no longer need to look to this world for what only You can provide. You have already placed within me the fullness of Christ’s life—His power, His presence, His sufficiency. I now live with expectant eyes, confident that when I fix my gaze on You, You reveal what is already mine in Him. I no longer settle for silver and gold when You’ve given me Your Son. I choose to walk in that life today—rejoicing, rising, and resting in Your immeasurable grace.