Acts 10:1-8
English
Standard Version (ESV)
10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a
centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout
man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people,
and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the
day[a] he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God
come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in
terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your
alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men
to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is
lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When
the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a
devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having
related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Have you ever
wondered if God hears your prayers or if He sees your kind deeds? Do you think Cornelius ever thought about
that? I think he might have because the
first thing the angel says to Cornelius was not, “fear not”, even though he was
clearly afraid, he says, “your prayers and your alms have ascended as a
memorial before God.” Wow, have you ever
thought of your prayers and gifts as being a memorial to God? I think that if we thought of it that way we
might be more apt to pray more thankful prayers and give to those in need
without question.
Note, what
happened after the angel left. He obeyed
and did as he was asked to do. He didn’t
go himself, which I would have been tempted to do, but he followed the
instructions of the angel.
As you seek Him
today, remember each gift of kindness and each gift of praise, ascends to the
One who is faithful as a memorial to Him.
Seek Him and know that He is worthy.
Seeking Him with
all my heart,
Sheila
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