Surprise
What God has made clean, you must not call profane. Acts 10:15
It can be startling to open the door to what we expect to be a quiet room, only to have a group of people jump out and yell, “Surprise!” Often such surprises are joyous affairs—birthday parties, homecomings, congratulatory events. But even when such experiences are reasons for celebration, the unexpected “surprise” can be unsettling.
Chapter 10 of the Acts of the Apostles is a story in which both Cornelius and Peter are baffled by a God-driven surprise. Both men have visions. Both men are unnerved. Through those visions, God brings the two men together, and both are changed. The barriers that once divided Jews and Gentiles are broken down—surprise! In Jesus, God continues to amaze us with the expansive fullness of God’s redeeming reach.
Sometimes it can be difficult to believe that God really does love you, that Jesus really has redeemed you. This story is God’s bold declaration: “Surprise! Jesus loves you too!”
Loving God who makes all things new, thank You for your surprising love for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
A Christ In Our Home Devotion