One of my favorite movies is Facing the Giants. Now, that may very well be because my home church happens to be the very same church that made that movie, and I worked behind the scenes for the entire shooting period. So I am definitely biased towards that movie from the start :). But bias aside, it has a really great storyline that reminds us to always trust in God, through the thick and thin.
At one point, the main character has a conversation about trusting in the Lord with a man known for his faith. The man tells the story about 2 farmers who both desperately needed - and prayed for - rain. But only 1 farmer actually went out and prepared his fields for rain. Now which man, he asks, actually believed that God would send the rain? Well of course, it was the man who prepared his fields.
A similar story is found in the Bible, in the book of Acts. Cornelius, a God-fearing man, hears from the Lord in a vision that he should go to Joppa and send for Peter, who was staying there. So Cornelius did - and he also called together all of his relatives and friends to wait in his home for Peter's arrival.
How easy it would have been to keep the house empty, to avoid possible embarrassment. After all, Cornelius didn't even know if Peter actually existed, and he certainly had no proof that Peter would agree to come to his house. What if his messengers returned empty-handed? By inviting everyone to his house to wait, Cornelius was opening himself up to a huge embarrassment. It was really quite a risky move.
But just like the farmer, Cornelius was preparing for the rain. He lived his life in the expectation that God would fulfill His promises. The Bible says that faith is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). That means that sometimes we will have to act on God's word alone, before we see actual proof that it is true. It means that we must prepare for the rain before we see it; we must live our lives in expectation of His promises to us coming true. God wants us to have faith in Him, not just react to what we can tangibly observe that He has already done. So tell me...how ready are your fields for Him to work in your life?
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
30 Cornelius answered: “Three 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.”
At one point, the main character has a conversation about trusting in the Lord with a man known for his faith. The man tells the story about 2 farmers who both desperately needed - and prayed for - rain. But only 1 farmer actually went out and prepared his fields for rain. Now which man, he asks, actually believed that God would send the rain? Well of course, it was the man who prepared his fields.
A similar story is found in the Bible, in the book of Acts. Cornelius, a God-fearing man, hears from the Lord in a vision that he should go to Joppa and send for Peter, who was staying there. So Cornelius did - and he also called together all of his relatives and friends to wait in his home for Peter's arrival.
How easy it would have been to keep the house empty, to avoid possible embarrassment. After all, Cornelius didn't even know if Peter actually existed, and he certainly had no proof that Peter would agree to come to his house. What if his messengers returned empty-handed? By inviting everyone to his house to wait, Cornelius was opening himself up to a huge embarrassment. It was really quite a risky move.
But just like the farmer, Cornelius was preparing for the rain. He lived his life in the expectation that God would fulfill His promises. The Bible says that faith is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). That means that sometimes we will have to act on God's word alone, before we see actual proof that it is true. It means that we must prepare for the rain before we see it; we must live our lives in expectation of His promises to us coming true. God wants us to have faith in Him, not just react to what we can tangibly observe that He has already done. So tell me...how ready are your fields for Him to work in your life?
Acts 10:1-7, 19-33
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter at Cornelius’s House
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers 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 While 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 or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone 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: “Three 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.”
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