for you

Acts 3:11-26; Psalm 8 O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth; Luke 24:35-48

Yesterday, we read from Acts of the Apostles and we encountered Peter and John meeting the cripple. After a word of blessing, the cripple was made whole and he began to cling to Peter and John and also jump around praising God in great excitement for the cure.

The commotion of the healing caused quite a scene and people began to gather around them.

As the people gathered, Peter seized the moment as an opportunity to preach to all what has happened.

Peter recounts all that God had done and all that has happened in Jesus, the Christ.

To sum up all the wonder of God's mighty deeds he ends with this statement:

"for you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you form your evil ways."

For you...

Why does God do what he does? Why does God enduring the suffering and death of his son? Why does Jesus continue to bear the marks of the crucifixion even after the resurrection? Why does God seek to fulfill the scriptures and bring to fulfillment his plan from eternity?

Why?

Simple answer: For you!

For you, God raised Jesus and sent him to bless you!

What a statement!

This we can meditate on for all eternity and draw strength and goodness continually.

For you and to bless you, Jesus is sent.

What a gift!

We have always been at the center of God's attention.