Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Pastor Junfeng Tan.
“In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.”
When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.” Acts 10:1-8
Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Matthew 7:7) Cornelius, a Gentile and a Roman centurion, kept asking, searching, and knocking on the door for years. At last, his prayers had been answered on God’s timing. Through a miraculous dream, the angel of God made a plan to connect Cornelius to Apostle Peter, who later came to the house of Cornelius and baptized him and his whole household. This event was one of the church’s earliest missionary efforts to the Gentiles. It demonstrated in a powerful way that God shows no partiality, that the plan of God’s salvation is designed for people of all races and social status.
Faith Chinese Fellowship is Faith’s outreach ministry to the Chinese. Many attendees of Faith Chinese Worship hear the story of Jesus Christ for the first time. Some of them are baptized and become faithful followers of Jesus Christ. In a very real sense, the story of Cornelius meeting Peter is reenacted here at the corner of Ave B and Bellaire Blvd every Sunday and throughout the week.
All English speakers and Chinese speakers of Faith Lutheran are participants in God’s unfolding story of making all things new. Thanks be to God.
Let us pray: Gracious and loving God, purge me of prejudices against those whom I do not know. Help me to reach out to strangers with the love you have shown to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Devotions 
Leave a Reply