Understanding God – Part III    

Friday, June 19

Understanding God – Part III    

O God, why have you rejected us forever? Psalm 74:1

Jesus gave his disciples the command to heal the sick, raise the dead, and preach the gospel. The early church got on with doing exactly what Jesus told them to do. They must have been very surprised by what happened. Up until this point in the book of Acts, all the followers of Jesus had been Jewish. In fact, they did not think it was possible to become a follower without being a Jew. But God surprised them. He prepared Peter with a vision. In a trance he saw heaven open and he was told to kill and eat ‘impure’ and ‘unclean’ animals and birds. His response was, ‘Surely not, Lord!’ (Acts 10:14).

The vision, and God’s voice that accompanied it, challenged Peter not to make distinctions between clean and unclean food (verses 13–15). However, Peter also realized that this vision meant that he should not make distinctions between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ people – that is, Jewish and non-Jewish people. Soon we discover Peter says, ‘No race is better than any other’ (verse 28).

At the time, it was a mystery. Scripture tell us Peter, puzzled, sat there trying to figure out what it all meant (verse 17). He did not realize what God was doing. Only later did he understand. God had plans that were far bigger than theirs.

Providence is about you and it is about me. . The truth of providence is the truth, looking through the cross of Jesus Christ, that God upholds all things for me and for His glory. He does indeed have you and me, brother, you and me, sister, of all nations and of all races in His hands. And nothing can sever us from His hands. So trust Him, believe Him, and bow down before Him. Surely grace and loving kindness shall forever follow me until I meet Him face to face.