"True Blessing"

Today's reading - Acts 10:30-33 (NIV): 30Cornelius 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 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33So 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."

Times are changing in Israel and so are the minds and attitudes of people, including Cornelius and his family. For Cornelius to even believe let alone say “we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us” is a huge change.

Having faith means going beyond beliefs and ideas and rituals, it means actively living life as God directs. It means to respond to God’s calling to live as a Christ like servant. We must seek to be in the presence of God every waking moment. Is that even humanly possible? As we seek the Lord let us keep praising Him, let us not leave Him, let us put our faith into action and discover the true blessing of the presence of God.

Dorothy Drago Brucks
Aldersgate UMC, Nixa, Mo.
www.aldersgatechurch.com