Day 15: Acts 10: 1-23

Our reading today is again packed full of divine communication from God to His children. The communication comes through angels, Holy Spirit, and visions, and it provides clear and accurate information and directions for those to whom it is sent. We should not doubt that our Lord is not only able, but is more than willing to communicate with us to enable us to do the work He has called us to do. Let us consider the example in today’s reading.

We are introduced to Cornelius, a Captain of one hundred soldiers in the Roman army. The Scriptures record the following characteristics about Cornelius;

1)       Godly, reverent;

2)       Generous toward the poor (giving much alms);

3)       Prayed consistently.

We learn that an angel comes to visit Cornelius to tell him that these characteristics have resulted in a memorial coming before God. God then gives instructions through the angel to Cornelius–instructions intended to ultimately reward Cornelius because of the lifestyle he has chosen to develop.

Isn’t it lovely to know that our spiritual labour is not lost before God, but acts as a memorial on our behalf to bring us reward and recompense?

The instructions given to Cornelius are very specific ones–including names and addresses of people Cornelius does not currently know. Cornelius, of course, immediately sets out to fulfill what was asked of him.

In the meantime, God has some work to do to change the mindset and discriminatory thought patterns that exist in Simon Peter’s mind. We read of a vision–repeated three times–in which a sheet is lowered from heaven, Simon is commanded to rise, kill, and eat food that would be considered unclean according to Jewish religious law.

Peter, in the vision, responds as he believes he should, refusing to defile himself with unclean food. In return he receives a rebuke from the Lord advising him not to call unclean or common that which God has cleansed. After the third time, the sheet is taken back up into the heavens and who should arrive at that time at the door, but the trio from Cornelius! Holy Spirit advises Peter that three men have come looking for him, they have been sent from God, and Peter is to go with them.

We discover that Peter has “got the message” of the vision, and decides to accompany these Gentiles back to their home to fulfill his mandate from the Lord to bring great reward to Cornelius and his household.

I take comfort in the knowledge that God is able to change minds that I could never hope to reach. I take comfort in knowing that while God is working on me, He is probably also working on others, to achieve His goals. I begin to understand that God never requires me to be responsible for the end result of what He has started. He does, however, require me to be responsible for what He asks me to do. This was true of both Cornelius and Peter.

Lessons to live by:

1)       Live in such a way as to be noticed by God (Cornelius’ life is not difficult to duplicate).

2)       Be open to Godly revelation that contradicts current mindsets you may possess.

3)       Understand that God’s provision will often require effort and obedience on your part to possess.

Although Scripture paints Cornelius as a pretty good guy (in God’s eyes), and God wanted to reward him, he still had to do what God asked–demonstrating obedience and trust–in order to receive his reward. It took both Cornelius’ and Peter’s obedience to bring about the plan that God had in mind.