February 4 ~ Acts 10:9-15
The next day about noon these men were coming near Joppa. Peter went up on the roof of the house to pray and became very hungry. While the food was being prepared, he fell sound asleep and had a vision. He saw heaven open, and something came down like a huge sheet held up by its four corners. In it were all kinds of animals, snakes, and birds. A voice said to him, "Peter, get up! Kill these and eat them." But Peter said, "Lord, I can't do that! I've never eaten anything that is unclean and not fit to eat." The voice spoke to him again, "When God says that something can be used for food, don't say it isn't fit to eat."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever asked God for something, and He answered… but not quite like you thought He would – or like you intended? Maybe you asked God for a new car… a specific make and model… and He gave you transportation, but it was more of a clunker than that cool little sports car you envisioned! Or maybe you asked God to resolve a conflict between you and another person, and you really meant “make them go away,” but God worked things out differently.
Maybe you asked God to revitalize your church, and He orchestrated the start of a contemporary worship service and introduced amplified and percussion instruments and audio visual aides to the worship services. There’s nothing in the Bible about these things being part of Jesus’ ministry… but isn’t God using this form of worship to reach a lot of people these days? Just because there is nothing in the Bible about a “Cowboy Church” doesn’t mean it can’t meet the needs of many people who like that style… if God says He will use it!
See, we want to pigeonhole God. We want to take scripture out of context and say, “Oh, we’re never to eat this…” or “We are never to dance,” or “We are not to play musical instruments in worship services – especially electric instruments or drums!” We want to think that God can only use those who dress a certain way and conduct themselves in a certain manner – and those who share our political views and our values. Notice I said “our” ways, views, and values, because we often pray very selfishly. We have to be extremely careful that we have not imposed our own interests on God. He can use a vast array of situations and circumstances for His glory that seem unconventional to us! Our job is to discern the difference… to be so in tune with God that we hear Him speaking to us and guiding our decisions.
If God tells us that He is sanctioning a certain situation, person, way of doing things, or “unclean food,” then we must be ready to say, “Alrighty, then!” and embrace this. We must also stop trying to tell God how and when to do things… and what we feel is acceptable! We don’t get to be in charge here… and we wouldn’t really want to, anyway. God is the Lord of the Universe - our job is to listen, adapt, and follow His lead. So how well are you communicating with Him these days?
©2009 Debbie Robus
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