August 2

Standing in God’s Way?

If God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way? (Acts 11:17).

Scripture: Acts 11:15-18

Song: “He Reigns”

When these Jewish Christians realized that God accepted the Gentiles after centuries of enmity, they praised God. They began to understand that the Scriptures saying “the whole world” and “all nations” had meant that Gentiles would be included in God’s family along with them. When they understood God’s plan, they worked to overcome their prejudice and to build relationships with their new brothers and sisters.

Today, we don’t have the same prejudice, but don’t we face one that’s quite similar? Don’t we often look at Muslims, for instance, much the way early Jewish Christians looked at the Gentiles? Who are we to stand in God’s way, His plans and His methods, to bring the Muslim people into His family?

They aren’t automatically accepted without a change of heart or repentance, any more than the Gentiles were in the first century. But the blood of Jesus was shed for all of us. And all of us, regardless of our nationalities and backgrounds, are invited to turn fully to Him. God loves the Muslims; He wants them to be in His family too. He’s not unaware of the years of their rejecting Him and persecuting Christians, but He also offers the blood of His Son for their salvation. Who are we to stand in the way of God?

Father, help me see how precious in Your eyes is every human being, every tribe and nation, with all their variety of beliefs. Your Son calls them all. In His name, amen.