God’s Call:
Our Circumstances – Part 2

Scripture Reading:  Acts 10:9-20

Key Verse:  Acts 10:15

The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Acts 10 tells the story of a Gentile who was seeking God and a Jew who needed to open his heart to God’s work in the world outside of Judaism.  Peter was a Jew who had never eaten anything unclean or any foods forbidden for Jews, but God wanted to help Peter step out of his prejudices and Jewish laws in order to minister to those outside the Jewish religion.

            While waiting on a meal, Peter fell into a trance and God spoke to him through that experience.  (Hopefully you can take time to read the details in the scripture reading section for today.)  That experience alone may not have been understood had it not been the men from the centurion’s home that had just arrived at Peter’s home asking for Peter to come and minister to their boss.  It was the total experience, the trance and vision, as well as the men showing up that convinced Peter of his mission.

            When God speaks to us about our call, there will be circumstances that surround it that help us see God’s hand.  The nudge of God in our hearts needs to be accomplished by circumstances that help lay out the plan or direction.  God puts this total package together and asks us to follow in obedience.  When we are aware of how God works, it can help us discern whether the thoughts we are having are from Him or some other source.

Father, open my eyes to the circumstances that your hand has been in so I can confirm your call in my life.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.