When you read this, I should be in Rhode Island on a vacation with my wife. We flew out yesterday afternoon. Last Monday, six days before our trip, I sat down and pulled out my flight itinerary, hotel reservation confirmation, and rental car confirmation. I double checked all the dates, departure and arrival times, and assured everything was guaranteed. I then decided what time we needed to get to the airport and considered all the stops we may need to make along the way. I estimated the time it would take to walk from the parking lot to the terminal. This allowed me to set the exact time we needed to leave home to assure everything worked on schedule. Cindy was given all this information so there should be no glitches. I tell you this to affirm the truth that I am a planner. I do not like surprises so I pay close attention to details.
As an organized planner, I don’t just coordinate the big events, I usually have a good idea of how each day is supposed to progress. The upside is that I get more done because I plan my work and work my plan. The downside comes when my plan is disrupted, and I must make a lot of midcourse adjustments. I can do it, but it’s hard work.
In reading the Scripture, I believe God is a planner. However, he doesn’t always choose to share all the details of his plans with me in advance. There are times I must face those schedule modifications and even life disruptions when God shows me what he wants of me. When this happens, I must choose my reaction. Will I stick with the familiar of my plan, or will I step out in faith and follow the leading of God’s Spirit?
In Acts 10, God throws the Church into turmoil by announcing some major change in attitudes and actions. To this point in early Church history, salvation had been offered primarily to the Jewish nation, God’s “chosen” people. If a non-Jew, known as a Gentile, wished to respond to the Gospel, he/she had to first convert to Judaism, then could become a Christian.
In this chapter, angel appeared to a Gentile named Cornelius and tells him to call for the Apostle Peter. Although Jewish law did not allow a Jew to enter the home of a Gentile, Cornelius took a chance, trusted God’s leadership, and called for Peter.
At the same time, God was teaching Peter an important truth. Through a vision, God told Peter that he was suspending Jewish law to allow him to reach Gentiles for Christ. At first Peter balked and even said no to God’s initial command. He had grown up with Jewish law and it is all he knew. This was too big of a change. But God changed his heart and mind and Peter obeyed. He went to the home of Cornelius and he and his family believed in Jesus.
What would be your reaction if God prompted you to step outside or your normal life to do something new? What if he wanted you to change careers so you could be more available to lost people? How would you react if he called your family to pack up and serve him in a new community or even a different country? Let’s make it easier. What if God encouraged you to step out of your comfort zone and show the love and message of Jesus to a coworker or neighbor?
If we are to truly be men submitted to Christ, or answer should always be, “Yes, Lord!” It may not be easy, it may take some guts to act, but God will never ask us to do something unless he also equips us to do it. Go ahead and plan your life. Set your goals and work diligently to achieve them. But if God asks you to change course, even if you don’t understand why, the answer is “YES!”