Revealed Truth

Today I am rejoicing in how God reveals truth to His people and even to those who are not yet His people. One of those whose faith in Christ has not yet been expressed says profound things. One of them came out when I told her that I enjoyed being with her because she has such a good attitude. She said, “Well, not always, but if it’s bad, I just wait a minute and a better one comes along.” 

How delightful. The Holy Spirit works like that to put His thoughts into our heads and as Jesus said, we know His voice and when we obey it, we are blessed and a blessing to others.

Today’s reading described another way that the Spirit speaks. Peter fell into a trance and was given a message from God that told him to break Jewish tradition and not call anything forbidden that God had made clean. (See Acts 10)

At the same time, the Lord revealed to a Gentile man to “Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea” so he did, with his messengers arriving just after Peter had his vision. So Peter went with these men he normally would not associate with. . . .  

And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” 

Of course the man was ready to hear about Jesus, and as Peter shared the gospel with him, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.” These Gentiles were baptized and Peter and those with him stayed for some days. 

The church questioned what Peter did, but when he related the story, “they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.’ ” (Acts 11:13–18)

This is God’s way. We get ideas or have instant responses to people and events that might seem right at first, but if we wait a minute, the Holy Spirit will give us His attitude and our response will fit God’s will. Generally, this is to be like Jesus and glorify Him in all we do:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

These verses now pop into my mind:

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalm 25:5)
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)
But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. (Psalm 38:15)
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; (Psalm 130:5)

PRAY: Lord, hearing how one person waits for a better attitude is such a lovely example. I am blessed by her ability to do just that — listen for a better option and acknowledging that it will come to her. Thank you for another delightful lesson from You about how You speak truth and how You use many ways to make it clear. I know Your Word is the final authority and am blessed to realize its ability to help me recognize truth when expressed in other forms.