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A Passing Shadow

Solomon's Colonnade was a popular place to "hang-out" in Jerusalem. A lot of people gathered there to meet, "do-lunch," or just people-watch. I suppose back then it must have been like us going to the mall on Saturdays in these modern time for the same reasons. At times, it was so crowded in the streets many vendors would run out of the popular foods the hungry shoppers wanted. Kids ran through the crowd, chased each other, and playfully hid behind their parents robes. The excitement of the Colonnade was always entertaining.

The apostles of Jesus were known to perform many miraculous signs and wonders among people there, and those who believed in Christ really looked forward to visiting the Colonnade, especially if they knew His apostles were going to be there. Most of the unbelievers avoided the apostles, preferring to watch them from a ways off. Although the apostles wee highly regarded, there still were those who didn't want to be thought of as joiners, not with Christians! However, many more did come to accept the Lord, and they did join with the other believers.

What a scene it was, the streets jam-packed with people, walking and talking with friends, and shopping with their families. This was no doubt an exciting place to be. On those days when it was known the apostles would be in town, many people leaped at the opportunity to bring their ill, and handicapped family members, or friends into town to be healed by the apostles. They would line their beds or mats up on the street right up front of the crowd in hopes that at least the passing shadow of Peter, one of the apostles, would pass over their loved ones. They thought surely they would be healed if only his shadow touched them as he walked by! Those who had faith in the healing the apostles spoke so often of gathered at the Colonnade from all the towns around Jerusalem. They brought the sick, and even those who were tormented with evil spirits and all of them were healed!

It's all about faith! His apostles had faith, and Jesus used them to heal the sick. Those who were made well had faith. "There was a man from Lystra who was crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on you feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk" (Acts 14:8-10).

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