Acts 9-10

Acts. Woah. I know by now we’ve been in Acts for a few days but I’m still thanking God for not closing up shop after Jesus’ death. Acts is like a slap across the head. The gospels are wonderful and I am perpetually educated on the ways of our Lord from spending time with Matt, Mark, Luke and John but as I turn the page from John 21 to Acts 1 I suddenly become one of them. Peter, James, John, you and I are now pursuing a God that we know in our hearts and minds but we can’t go over to his house for breakfast and advice. At the beginning of Acts my heart breaks a little for the disciples as they are seemingly directionless without their Savior, but as Acts begins to unfold I rejoice at the beauty of true faithfulness. I love identifying with those that walked with the Lord as they sit now and pray for God to reveal the next part of their journey. I love that the same Holy Spirit that arrived on the scene in Acts to knock everybody’s socks off lives in you and me.

I’ve been reading Acts 9 and 10 over and over and marveling at God’s wisdom and willingness to interrupt stale lives. He imposed blindness on hard-hearted, religious Saul to eventually reveal a humble and devoted servant of Jesus Christ. And He gave Peter just enough vision to expose his haughty, prejudiced heart.

Saul’s encounter with the Lord convicted my 18 year old heart the first time I read it. God’s sovereignty in choosing such an undeserving, unexpected man to fearlessly make known His gospel made me want to trade my indifferent religion for a passionate relationship with the Lord.
Somehow Peter’s vision of four-footed animals never made it into the reading I was doing as I pondered the nature of God and a commitment to living for Him. Maybe the gracious lady that I was studying the bible with decided to omit it from my reading list on account of verse 13, “Get up Peter, kill and eat,” or maybe it was the many confusing references to the Simons…one called Peter and one who’s a tanner and lives by the sea. Sounds like a children’s book: Simon the Tanner Who Lives by the Sea.

Acts 10 doesn’t get the publicity that Acts 9 does, but then God’s not about popularity and ease…He’s about humility and heart. I’m sure there are commentaries written by very wise and intelligent people that dissect the number of times Peter saw the vision and the reasoning behind the clean and unclean animal analogy but it is Peter’s obedience to the Spirit that I think is note-worthy.

The scripture says, “While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you…do not hesitate to go with them.” Peter was still thinking…but he didn’t let that stop him. He didn’t say, “Sorry Lord but I can’t go because I’m not exactly sure what to think about that sheet full of four-footed animals and birds I just saw.” He was just obedient.

I’m ALWAYS still thinking. I love contemplating the importance of things…but I am reminded today that God knows the importance of things and He knows when I need to know and when I just need to be obedient. I love what happened when Peter went with the three men. He spoke truth through the Spirit. He began by saying, “…I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

Peter was finally living it. He had walked with Jesus and he heard Him preach about acceptance and love. He already knew in his head that God’s grace was for everyone; but the time had finally come for Peter to “Go and make disciples of all the nations.”

I hope Jesus was sitting with the Father exchanging high fives as they watched their mission unfold.


Jenna Trapasso
April 8