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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Wednesday, January 28, 2004 Brothers, Sisters |
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Frontline Devotion for Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004, By Penny Risen
Bible text:
Acts 10: 23b-48
Peter never was known for being subtle. Even as a member of Jesus' inner
circle, Peter didn't mince words or hesitate to ask questions. Although it
sometimes took several times for the brash, hardheaded disciple to get the
message his Master was preaching, Peter was ready to push forward
once his mission was clear.
It's a powerful signal in Acts that God chose the direct, the unsubtle Peter to
accept Gentiles into the fold of new Christians. Yes, it took three times
with Peter for the vision (Acts 10: 9-17) to sink in, that "what God has
made clean, you must not call profane." But when Cornelius sent for Peter
to gather at his home with Gentile friends and family, the disciple was ready
and willing to break with centuries of discrimination and mistrust.
Peter proclaimed God's impartiality. He made clear to all gathered that Jesus
Christ had been sent as Messiah for their sake and that "He is Lord of
all." After the Holy Spirit was poured down on Jew and Gentile alike,
Peter took action to break down another wall between them and plunged ahead to
baptize his new brothers and sisters in Christ. "How can anyone withhold
the water?" Peter asked with his usual bluntness.
Peter was a bold, trusting Christian, who time and again earned his label of
"rock" of the church. He relied on his God for strength when he
was lacking, for judgment when his thoughts were fuzzy, and for courage of the
Spirit when facing new challenges. It's those qualities that sometimes
make me think of Peter as a teenager: Someone filled with promise and open to
new ideas, ready to conquer the world in his own often outrageous way. He
also showed a youthful self-confidence and sense of being invincible once
convinced he was right.
Jesus acted much like a parent to His disciples when His mission on earth was
fulfilled, trusting them to go forward on their own missions. Jesus knew He'd
done pretty much all He could with Peter and his brethren to "raise them up
right," to teach and inspire them: Now it was their job to use what they'd
learned with the Holy Spirit to guide them.
But it must have been very difficult --- going against hundreds of years of
division between peoples, to learn to love and to trust Gentiles and all
strangers, accepting them as brothers and sisters in a new faith. Many
times, Jesus had reached out to the shunned, the disenfranchised, and people His
disciples had never even thought of associating with. Thrown into an
out-of-the-ordinary situation, now it was Peter's turn to take Cornelius' hand
in brotherhood.
When I was barely an adult, I traveled with a group to the Bahama Out Islands.
Out late at a noisy club, my friends had mistakenly left me behind when they
moved on to another trendy place to dance. I found myself frustrated,
alone, out of place and getting nowhere: A stranded woman trying to convince the
bartender to call a cab to take me back to my hotel.
Suddenly, a hand reached out for my arm, pulling me through the crowd into the
night air. "We are sisters," my new friend said in a softly
accented voice. "I will help you." She touched her throat and I
touched my mine: We both wore tiny gold crosses. It was a small incident,
but reminds me that sisterhood and brotherhood happen where and when you least
expect it.
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, open my heart to those who would be my
brothers and sisters. Give me the courage of Peter to break down walls and
accept God's loving embrace for all. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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