He Goes Before Us
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Years ago, i heard someone say, “God is preparing you for what He is preparing for you.” This simple reminder underscores the truth that God is always at work, often in ways beyond our understanding. He is not limited by time, space, or location. Whether working in the heart of one person or many—whether they are across the street or around the world—God brings people, circumstances, and events together in His perfect timing to fulfill His divine purpose for His glory. Most often, we don’t realize it until we experience that “God-moment.”
This truth holds as much weight today as it did in the days we read about in the Book of Acts. It is worthy for us to look at those events because many, like this particular one, have had a ripple effect that has impacted each one of our lives.
About nine years had passed since the Holy Spirit came upon the believers in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost. Saul, now a follower of Christ instead of a persecutor, had just recently left Jerusalem for Tarsus. Through Peter’s ministry, God had just raised Tabitha from the dead, and Peter was still about thirty miles away in the city of Joppa. The door of faith had already been opened to the Jews in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, with Peter to using the “keys of the Kingdom” to usher in the Holy Spirit to dwell among those groups. Now God was preparing to open the door to the Gentiles, starting in Caesarea through Peter, and soon to follow in Syria and Cilicia through Saul.(1)
God’s ways are certainly not our ways.(2) He accomplishes His purpose in His own way,(3) and He can work in multiple places at once. He is not confined by space or time.(4) That day in Joppa and Caesarea was no exception. While Peter was staying at Simon the tanner’s house in Joppa,(5) God was simultaneously preparing the hearts of Cornelius and his household in Caesarea.
At that time, most Roman soldiers stationed in Judea were local recruits, behaving more like mercenaries than professional soldiers. However, Centurion Cornelius led a contingent of one hundred elite soldiers trained in Rome. They were stationed in Caesarea, where Pilate and the Roman officials lived. Romans, for the most part, were polytheistic pagans, worshiping many gods.
Yet, Luke describes Cornelius as “God-fearing.” Though not a Jewish proselyte, Cornelius apparently prayed to Jehovah God and worshiped Him, albeit perhaps not exclusively. He likely had no formal teaching on how to pray, but he prayed as best he knew, with a sincere heart. As a Roman officer in an oppressive regime, it was unusual for him to give generously to the poor, but Luke points out that he did so with great charity.
In many respects, Cornelius was a model of religious respectability. Outwardly he behaved better than many Christians today, but inwardly, he was unrepentant and lacked a true relationship with God. Ironically, as compared to the Jewish religious leaders of the day, he knew his religious acts would never be sufficient to save him. Many today believe their good works will earn them a place in heaven because they have not grasped the weight of their own sin or the saving power of God’s grace. Cornelius, on the other hand, recognized his need for salvation and was asking God to show him the way. By His grace, God chose to hear the prayer of Cornelius. He will always respond to the prayer of a sincere heart seeking Him.
Warren Wiersbe tells the story of John Wesley, who in many ways resembled Cornelius. “Wesley was a religious man, a church member, a minister and the son of a minister. He belonged to a religious club at Oxford, the purpose of which was the perfecting of the Christian life. He served as a missionary, but even as he preached to others, he had no assurance of his own salvation. On May 24, 1738, he reluctantly attended a small meeting in London where someone was reading aloud from Martin Luther’s writings on the Book of Romans. ‘About a quarter before nine,’ Wesley wrote in his personal journal, ‘while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.’”(6) At that moment, Wesley surrendered his life to Christ, trusting Him alone for salvation. He stepped from religious beliefs into a relationship with Christ. The result was a revival that swept countless souls into the Kingdom of God!
God sent one of His heavenly “soldiers”—an angel—to Cornelius, just as He did to Wesley. Cornelius immediately obeyed the command to send for Peter. Despite others possibly being closer to Caesarea, Peter was God’s man for this assignment. Philip may have already made his way back up the Mediterranean coast from Gaza. Saul had sailed out of Caesarea only a short time earlier, and God could have easily orchestrated a visit while Saul was still in the city. And yet, God’s plan involved Peter.
Remember, Peter “held” the “keys to the Kingdom”. The Father had ordained for him to be the one to open the door of faith to the Gentiles. But God had to work in Peter’s heart first, preparing him to step out of his comfort zone. It would have been less challenging for Saul, or Philip, but God’s work isn’t about our comfort—it’s about His calling. That’s why God does not, most often, call the equipped; rather, He equips the called.(7) He empowers us through His Spirit—the same Spirit who goes before us to make a way.
More than likely, most of you who are reading this post or listening to this episode would be considered Gentiles—just like me. i am certain that as you look back over your life, you will see spiritual markers where God divinely orchestrated events leading you to salvation through His grace. But it is important to remember that at that moment in Caesarea—and in Joppa—God was at work preparing the way for the door of faith to be opened for us. Cornelius’ obedience put in motion the means through which the door of faith was opened to the Gentiles. It occurred through Cornelius’ obedience in sending for Peter, and that set in motion events that would open the door of faith to all Gentiles. What may have seemed like a small act had a ripple effect that continues to touch lives today.
Yes, God is still at work preparing us for what He is preparing for us. No matter how small or large the step may seem, trust Him and take it. We cannot know the ripple effects it will have in the future … as He goes before us … until He returns.
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You can read about Cornelius’ obedience in the tenth chapter of the Book of Acts.
This post is adapted from chapter 29 of my book, Until He Returns. For more information about the book, click here.
(1) Acts 10:1-8 (NLT)
In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.
And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.” As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.
(2) Isaiah 55:8
(4) Psalm 139:7-12
(5) Acts 9:43
(6) Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Volume 1, Page 445
(7) Hebrews 13:21
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