Vicki Keiser, Stephen’s Ministry and Church Council

Acts 10:34-35
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

Acts 10:42-43
“And he commanded us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Reflection:
When I was a child growing up in Houston, my family had a next-door neighbor where one of the members of that family was a girl a few years older than me. One Sunday afternoon I was outside playing in the yard and I started talking with the girl next door as we did sometimes. Since she was older, she was always ready to impart her wisdom to me. Though children we somehow got into a conversation about religion of all things. She was Catholic as her family was Catholic. She told me that I would never go to heaven because I wasn’t Catholic (we were Methodist). As you can imagine, this was very disturbing to me as a child, and I actually argued with her for a while but finally just moved on. Later, I did ask my parents about this. While I do not remember exactly what was said, they did reassure me that she was incorrect in her statement which confirmed what I already thought. In my teen years I can also remember some Baptist friends espousing that theirs was the one true religion and the only way to heaven as well. It just seemed really odd to me that people—other Christians—really thought this. The God I worshiped had a big tent, and all the Christians were under the tent. But I had a big misconception as well as I was limiting God’s love and forgiveness to only people who were already card-carrying Christians so to speak.

Peter is speaking to the Gentiles and he makes it very clear that God shows no partiality. God’s tent includes everyone that fears him and does what is right. God does not care if you have been Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, agnostic, Muslim, etc. What is important to be in God’s tent is that you truly believe in him and by believing in him you will receive forgiveness and grace. This forgiveness and grace are not based on your works or your contributions; this forgiveness and grace are freely given to those who believe. 

So what does this tell us about the nature of God? God is extravagant in his love. God is infinitely forgiving to those that believe.  So much so that he wants the tent to be big enough for all the human race to be in that tent with him. God loves us all—no matter what.  

Prayer:
Dear Lord, you are such an awesome God who bestows upon each of us such extravagant love every day. We know that we don’t always acknowledge as we should the extravagant love and infinite forgiveness you provide to us. Lord, we also acknowledge that we at times do show partiality in our expression of love to others. We thank you for the opportunity that each of us has to be in relationship with you and the grace that we receive from you. Lord, please help us to reflect your love such that we have no partiality in sharing your love with all. In your name, we pray all these things. Amen.