"One Of Them"

"And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." Acts 3:8

Have you ever seen those people who are just overjoyed in their salvation? Some call them "fanatics". Others refer to them as "one of them". All they want to talk about is Jesus. They get a little "too" excited about the Lord. They lift their hands, they shout, they jump around, they dance, they act a little "wild" at times. Well, there are times when I am one of those kinds of Christians. I can't help myself... I just want to run, jump, shout and praise the Lord demonstratively, and can hardly contain it. Shall I tell you why? What prompts such behavior in me and in others when we tend to get "emotional" about the Lord.

The man at the Gate Beautiful is an example of "one of them". When the Lord healed him, he went into the temple "walking and leaping and praising God". His action wasn't just prompted by the fact that he was now able to use his legs that were once paralyzed. I believe it was because the man "came back to life"- he got his life back. He sat at the temple gate begging all day, everyday. He had to have someone carry him to the gate, he had to depend on others to support him, he had to have someone come and get him at the end of the day. This man had no life- he was as good as dead. But on that particular day when he was healed, he came alive. No wonder he was walking, leaping, running, shouting, praising God.

I shared that story to give you my answer. You see, I was once dead- dead in trespasses and sin- I had no life- but Jesus passed by my way and raised me up out of my "beggarly" state. He, who is life, breathed His breath of life into me. I passed from death into life. The wages of my sin produced death but He gave me His gift of eternal life. I came alive! When I think about that-- it makes me want to shout! I get so excited and overwhelmed at the fact that He gave me my life back. I have a reason to shout, so that's why I shout! That's why I dance! That's why I jump around! That's why I can't contain myself when I think about it! I was once dead but now I am alive! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus!

Have a great day. I am glad to be "one of them"... and thankfully so!