The Beautiful Gate

Gates intrigue me.  They always have.  I remember when I was a little girl I would get so excited as we would approach the gate to my granddaddy’s farm.  I jumped out of the truck and ran with eager anticipation to help him open the gate.  I was so excited about the adventure I knew was waiting on the other side of that gate.  Oh, and the day when I was finally able to hop out of the truck and open the gate by myself…aaahhh, a blissfully proud day indeed!

Approaching the gates of Disney World brings a whole different type of elated feelings.  As soon as we turn onto the road leading to the parking lot the excitement starts building.  It’s like a thousand tiny butterflies flittering around inside of me.   Once you step through the gates it is truly magical.

My kids were always itching with excitement and uncontainable energy as we approach the pool gate.   Loaded with every pool toy their arms could carry, they would laugh and giggle as they anticipated that refreshing splash of fun on the other side.

Some gates are simple, basic, and merely functional.  Others are so grand you can’t help but wonder what might be on the other side.

The temple in Jerusalem had 4 main gates.  One of these was the gate called Beautiful.  The name of the gate was Beautiful, and I am certain it lived up to its name.  This gate intrigues me for many reasons, and if you are thinking it might have something to do with going from broken to beautiful, you are exactly right.  OH, but it is so much more!!

In Acts 3, a man who was crippled from birth was taken and placed by the gate to bed.  Every day someone took him to this spot which was prime begging location so that he could beg.  His whole life was consumed with his brokenness.  It probably felt like in some weird way, it was the only thing he had going for him.  Every single day of his life he sat there broken and begging.

We do that, don’t we? We become consumed by the negative circumstances in our lives. For whatever reason, they become our minds focus.  Even when we don’t realize it, we are thinking about them.  Perhaps it’s financial hardship or an inability to conceive.  Maybe you are consumed with the pain of rejection, failures, or broken dreams.  There are so many hurts in this world, and no doubt, most of us have experienced our share of them.

So back to the Beautiful Gate.    Why was it so special?  First of all, this was the gate where Shekhinah or Divine presence of God was believed to be.  Is that why the crippled beggar’s friends placed him by the gate or was that just a coincidence? Was this gate specifically chosen?  We don’t know, but what we do know is that the first miracle recorded after the Holy Spirit’s appearance on the Day of Pentecost was to make beautiful that which had been broken for so long, and it happened at the gate called Beautiful.

If you think God is not concerned about whatever it is that hurts you, causes you to feel unworthy, unwanted, not enough, etc., take note of this:  the first prayer prayed in the name of Jesus was to heal a man broken from birth at the gate called Beautiful.    That is by no means a coincidence.  God cares about you and WHATEVER it is that hurts you.  Neither is it a coincidence that we are told the name of this gate two times in Acts 3.

Not only was this believed to be the gate where the presence of God was, but it is also the gate through which they believed the Messiah would enter. (Ezekial 44:1-3)

Another interesting fact is that the Jews used to pray for mercy at this gate, so it is also known as the Gate of Mercy.   Indeed, the crippled beggar was shown mercy at the gate. Here we have a man who was so absorbed with his brokenness he could not see anything else.  He could not wrap his mind around being anything but crippled.

Many of us have been there.  Many of us ARE there, crippled by the hurts and circumstances life has thrown at us.  Maybe we aren’t begging, but we are seeking temporary fixes to ease the pain we may not even be able to admit we feel: a day of shopping, a night on the town, a new dress, a new car, more food, another drink, a new relationship, a vacation,  a drug, or even church and “ministry”.   Oh sure, any of these may make you feel better FOR A LITTLE WHILE, for a season, but YOU ARE STILL BROKEN!

God doesn’t want to offer you a temporary fix.  His mercy is far greater than that.  He wants to HEAL your hurts.   No matter what they are, no matter how they came, He wants to heal you.

“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.  Acts 3:6 

We see no evidence of this man making any excuses as to why he could walk.  He never says, “ But you don’t know how bad I’ve been hurt. . . You don’t know how long it’s been this way. . .You don’t know. . . My legs won’t. . . My parents didn’t. . . My friends don’t. . .”  No excuses!

You too can make the decision instantly! You may have some things you need to work through but you can decide to instantly let go of the pain you have held on to for so long.  Give it to God and praise Him immediately – and keep on praising Him.

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up and instantly his feet and ankles were strengthened and he jumped to his feet and walked.  He went with them into the temple court jumping and leaping and praising God…and the people recognized him as the crippled man who sat by the gate called Beautiful and were amazed.

Do you have a friend who wants to take you by the hand and lift you to the feet of healing?   If not, I will be that friend to you.   You do not have to sit in your brokenness longing for better days.   God is here.  His presence is in this place.  This is your Beautiful Gate, your Gate of Mercy.  Arise to your healing and praise Him.

One last interesting thing about the gate called Beautiful:  In Arabic it is known as the Gate of Eternal Life.

The account of the crippled beggar does not end with his healing. If you continue reading this account,  you will hear Peter preach a power-packed message to the crowd that had gather in amazement because of the man’s healing, and in Acts 4:1 “But many who heard the message believed and the number of the men grew to about five thousand.”

Your healing will have life-changing affects on many – some you may not even know.

Back up to Acts 3:16. Peter makes it very clear It is Jesus’ name and faith that comes through Him that gives complete healing. And All to the glory of God!

You are at your Gate Beautiful and GOD SEES YOU!  This is your time to receive mercy and healing!