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The Jewish day began at six in the morning and ended at six in the evening. For the devout Jew, there were three hours designated for prayer: nine in the morning, twelve noon, and three in the afternoon. Of course, a Jew could pray anytime and anywhere, but tradition and custom taught that prayer in the temple was especially efficacious.
Although Peter and John experienced a new empowerment and a new faith at Pentecost, they did not reject their tradition of going to the temple to pray. Rather, Pentecost gave them a new compassion, desire, and sense of urgency to emulate Jesus with the gifts they had received. To the beggar’s request for alms, Peter responded, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you” (Acts 3:6).
Peter’s words challenge us to reflect on how often we focus more on what we do not have than on what we do have. What Peter “had not” was timidity, fear, or doubt. What he “had” were the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, and discernment of spirits (see 1 Corinthians 12:4-10). Peter understood that these are “on the spot” gifts, to be…
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