Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 10:20, “Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”
In reading the narrative of Peter’s vision and the arrival of Cornelius’ men to beckon him to Caesarea, you might be struck with a sense of chaos and confusion. For starters, Peter is on the roof, in a trance, and has a vision of animals descending to earth in a sheet, three times. Then God speaks to him and banishes thousands of years of national dietary and religious customs. While Peter continued to be perplexed and ponder the vision, men show up outside the house and are hollering out to see if they are at the right place. Meanwhile, God delivers some ominous sounding news that three men are looking for him. If you watched the presidential debate last night, perhaps you can relate the sense of confusion similar to when both candidates were talking at once, and the poor moderator was trying to regain control of the debate while they continued to posture and contradict and accuse. In Peter’s situation, we know that God was in and through all that was swirling around the evangelist. The most brash of our Lord’s disciples had been chosen by God to take a revolutionary message to the very people he and the others specifically avoided. The boldness that led to outlandish claims before Christ was going to be part of the force that takes down the strongest of walls between peoples.
So even while Peter is still trying to get his mind around this new version of clean, God commands him to rise without hesitation and go wherever the strangers take him. God Himself had sent the sheet of all sorts of animals. God Himself had spoken that whatever He makes clean is not to be questioned. And God Himself had sent these men to lead Peter where God wanted him. For Peter, as for us, the calm amidst the storm was the steadying presence of the Father, who is available, responsive, and ultimately in control. Time with Him doesn’t remove all chaos or prevent all calamity, but it keeps you on the right path and in the precious and priceless fellowship with the Savior that floods you with peace, even as the world goes topsy-turvy. So, do not dread and have no worries. God is sending whatever comes, and He will be right there waiting on you to come to Him.
As we seek Him today, find peace, and even joy, amidst the craziness that abounds as you keep your eyes and ears toward Jesus.
Have a super Wednesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
