“Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.”
Acts 5:15-16. (NAB)
After the resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter was transformed into a totally different person. He was no longer portrayed as weak in faith, quick tempered and fearful.
When he walked down the street intending to preach and to pray for people, God placed an anointing upon his shadow. As his shadow was cast over the sick, it brought the healing power of Jesus to them. How incredible it must have been to see the healing that occurred by a shadow.
Peter had a history of always being on the wrong page of God’s play book, trying to talk Jesus out of going to the cross and impulsively wielding his sword to defend Him at His arrest. There is something about Peter, who shows us that the same potential is also within each of us. We can see ourselves in Peter and can love him as surely as we love ourselves. We are all “Peters” in some way, and since there was hope for Peter, there is hope for us as well.
I identify with Peter because although I’ve fallen away from God’s purpose at times in my life, God has been patient with me, always drawing me back to Him.
We all have the opportunity to be continually renewed and refilled with the same Spirit that Peter had. We leave our old self behind because a renewed Peter is waiting inside each one of us.
The Holy Spirit transformed him, and the streets were lined with people on cots, just waiting for Peter’s shadow to be cast over them. Peter simply surrendered himself to who God always knew he could be. He carried the presence of Jesus with him in his shadow wherever he went. Just like Peter, we aren’t perfect, but we are empowered and renewed to be the person God called us to be.
We may be asking God to remove the difficult situations from our lives, but first He has a transformation to complete within us. God is always remolding us, through every trial, and He turns our ashes into beauty. If we learn anything from Peter’s amazing transformation, it’s that God never gives up on us. He is patient and forgiving, and because of His love for us, He has a vision for us to become the best version of ourselves. Believing that God is working all things together for our good, we can yield our lives to His will, and let Jesus cast His shadow through us.
Lord, we surrender every unpleasant or confusing situation in our lives to you. Fill us with your Spirit, cast your shadow through us and continue to transform us to be who you called us to be. Amen
