Accepting How God Is Working – Acts 11
“Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” — Acts 11:17–18
The Jewish Christians were confused and shocked! One of their own, the highly respected Simon Peter, had visited some uncircumcised Gentile men and had eaten with them. This was unheard of! It was breaking the law of Moses! How could he!
When questioned, Peter told them of all that happened – the vision, the angel, the messengers, the visit to Cornelius, and the pouring out of God’s Holy Spirit on them. He concluded by saying that the Holy Spirit of God was given to Gentiles just as He was given to the Jews. It was obvious God was at work and to stand against the Gentiles getting saved was to stand against God.
When the accusing Jewish Christians heard this, they “held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
Peter and the Jewish Christians were willing to accept that God was doing something that was unusual, something they did not understand, but something that was clearly of God. Though they may have initially resisted it, they eventually surrendered to what the Lord was doing.
This is a great lesson for us. How open are we to what the Lord might be trying to do in our lives? Are we aware of how He might be working in ways that might seem strange or scary to us? Are we willing to surrender to Him and follow Him wherever He may lead?