I now realise
Albert Bogle
April 22, 2019
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Acts 10: 34-43
34 Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 ‘We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
Isn’t it wonderful that the changes God brings about in our thinking often happens over a period of time like a day dawning? I think the more we walk and talk with God the more we begin to understand how little we really know. I guess it’s true: you get like what you look at. An infinite God will not be defined by our finite brains.
I love the quote in Acts 10: 34 where Peter finds himself confronted with Gentile believers. He begins his speech with these words. “I now realise that God has no favourites” What an admission. All his life he had believed and been taught to believe that as a Jew he had a special place in the heart of God. Now he had come to realise something completely different. In his moment of turning the resurrection of Jesus had opened a new understanding of scripture for him. The God of the Old Testament Scripture is the God of everyone. Peter realised that God was calling all peoples to be witnesses to his grace and love and among those witness were both Jews and Gentiles.
Lord
Give me the grace to be willing ‘to realise’
Give me the courage to share my doubts and fears
Give me the insight to know when I’m wrong
Grant me the wisdom to know when to turn
Grant me the skill to navigate the terrain ahead
And when I have turned the corners of fear and doubt
Give me the faith like Peter
To declare, “God has no favourites”.
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