Bowing Before Him

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

BOWING BEFORE HIM

Acts 10:23-33

The next day, Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24 The following day, he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself." 27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?" 30 Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

NIV

There was certainly confirmation from God between Peter and Cornelius, as each received a visit so the two could meet. There is no question that God had a plan for Cornelius and made sure it would come to pass. That could be a great lesson or truth we can take to heart. We know the Lord has a plan for our lives. We may not get a visit from an angel, have a vision, or gaze upon a messenger of the Lord, but we do know that He has a plan for our lives, and it will come to pass. There is one condition for His plan to be fulfilled in our lives. Both Peter and Cornelius prayed, and when both heard from the Lord, they obeyed the message. Although the Lord has a plan for our lives, we must be in communion with Him in prayer. That may not mean that we come to Him and blabber on and on with fancy, or religious words, but that we sit with Him, kneel before him, bowing our hearts, open and listening. We are not told exactly what the prayers of Peter or Cornelius contained, but we believe they were bowing before Him. We are told Cornelius prayed regularly, yet this time he had a vision, and Peter fell into a trance, seeing a vision. The point being that we should always be ready to hear from the Lord, and when we are ready with an open heart and mind, we can be assured that the Lord will direct our paths to accomplish his plan or purpose for our lives. The other truth we should take note of is Cornelius's falling at Peter's feet. Although it may have been in reverence for Peter's response to the invitation, Peter made sure Cornelius knew that he was just a man, like him. That is to say, we should not revere men, but only the Lord. Sure, there may be some people with positions of authority, such as the President, but we do not fall at their feet. There may be some who bow low before the Catholic Pope; we cannot know if any fall at his feet. It is not that we should not respect their positions in life, or their office or station, but the point is, we should only fall face down in reverence to our Lord. We are all but men, or women, each the same, having sin as our companion, with some of us having God tossing our sin away, because we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Therefore, we bow only before Him.