Standing in God's Way

Acts 10-11 recount the history of the Spirit coming on the Gentiles for the first time as a group. Peter preached to them the Word of God after being invited by Cornelius to do so. He witnessed the Spirit of God coming upon them, perhaps much to his own surprise.

When he got back to Jerusalem, he was "attacked" by the circumcised believers. What in the world were you thinking? they seem to say. You went to the uncircumcised, those people not like us?! How could that possibly be beneficial?

Peter's defense is simple. He reports his vision of unclean things, his invitation from Cornelius, his preaching and what he subsequently witnessed. And then he says, Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?

This report pacified the Jews. This report and especially the final statement sobers me.

How often am I like those circumcised Jews who think that God only works in a certain way or through certain people? Now I realize that God is very clear about many things in His scripture about worship and the gospel. There are things that should not be "messed with", so to speak. But how long is that list? How often to I add to it? Do I stand in God's way (as if that were really possible) or do I withhold from myself the blessing of working in God's plan by assuming things have to be a certain way or be fulfilled according to a certain plan that I have always thought necessary.

I think that I often get too high an opinion of myself and my own ideas.

On a funny note, this passage reminds me of a story on Tom in the Box that Thomas wrote a while ago. The situation isn't exactly the same because the session doesn't come to terms with revival as quickly as the Jews seemed to come to terms with the Gentiles receiving the Spirit, but I think it's a good story to keep in mind when I start thinking too much of myself.