What if God is always talking? When we pray we open ourselves to what he is saying and we hear him clearly. Luke shows us the continuing impact of prayer in the life of the early church. When God’s people pray, all heaven breaks loose in our lives.
Cornelius was a godly man who prayed. He didn’t know about Jesus or the good news of the gospel but in prayer God spoke to him and told him to send for Simon Peter. Simultaneously, on God’s Standard Time (G.S.T.), God spoke to Peter while he was praying. Peter saw a vision of animals from the declared unclean by the law but God told him to eat. It sounds to us like a “Fear Factor” reality TV show. Eat critters. Repulsed, Peter replied, “No, uh uh.” Then God told him that a God-fearing Roman Centurion had sent three men to meet him. Peter went down and accompanied them to preach the gospel. Cornelius is one of the first non-practicing Jews to become a believer.
God relentlessly eradicates our prejudices. Before we lie and say we have none, we would do well just to confess. As part of a fallen world, and because of bad information, we are predisposed to like others who are like us and mistrust those who are not. Peter would never have gone to a Roman soldier’s house, but God told him to. Precisely when he obeyed, God opened the door of salvation to a whole new group of people. Consider carefully, with whom would we never share God’s love? Ask God to reveal any vestiges of unkindness within your soul and to remove all hatred.
