Scripture
14“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.” 15But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. 17Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house… Acts 10:14-17
Observation
You gotta love Peter. Even after seeing the same vision from God three times he’s still not sure what to do with it. The wording here means to doubt oneself or be entirely at a loss. Peter may be going back on forth and stymied in indecision, but God has already set the meeting in motion. The birth of the Gentile church is going to happen in spite of Peter’s inner battle between his Jewish traditions and this Holy Spirit revival. Notice that the Gentile Cornelius responded immediately to go find Peter, while Peter doubted the message of these visions. Three seems to be a pattern with Peter. He doubted this vision three times, he denied he knew Jesus three times at His crucifixion, and Jesus asked him three times if he loved him at his restoration in John 21. Spurgeon preached that Peter was actually called three times by Jesus (Jn. 1:37, Mt. 4:18-19, Mt 10:1-2).
Application
God is so patient with us that He is willing to repeat Himself just to see us walk out His divine purposes for our lives. I know that He is more patient with me than I am with my own boys. By the third time I’m having to repeat the reminder to “dump the trash” let’s just say it’s no longer being spoken in the gentle tones of the first reminder. I get frustrated with my boys, but how often am I pulling a Peter with my God? How many times is God having to ask me to follow through on His instructions before I actually do it? What miracles have been delayed because I’m sitting perplexed on my porch? My boys can literally finish my dad speech when I’m correcting them with, “delayed obedience is still disobedience.” I think God is giving me the Dad speech this morning through Peter’s life. Peter goes on to write in his letter to the church: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16). These are the words a man who has learned to act on God’s word in every area of his life- from what he eats and drinks, to how he acts and thinks, to how he serves others. Holiness is proven by whole-hearted obedience. Wouldn’t it be great if first time was the charm instead of third time?
Prayer
Lord, I pray that You would forgive me for the places where I have delayed in my obedience to You. Where I have demanded explanation or explained it away as just something I ate or “it’s all in my head.” I’m always waiting for You to move, but it could be that You are waiting for me to move. Whatever You want me to do today I pray that I would follow through the first time You ask. That my obedience wouldn’t be based on my comfort or convenience, but rather my consecration to You! That I would obey whether I understand or even agree with what You’re asking me to do.
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