“And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” (Acts 10:5-6)
I’ve only shared verses 5-6 to capture the theme of the devotion this morning, but I would encourage you to read the entire chapter for better context.
Peter’s lodging in Joppa was no coincidence. All the pieces of Peter’s life were working together, bringing him to this day when the keys handed to him by the Lord Jesus Christ would open the door to the Gentile nations. Soon, he would take a backseat to the Apostle to the Gentiles—not in position, but in active duty. Peter had run and now Paul would take up the baton and run into the Gentile nations.
What can we learn from all of this? The text teaches us something about the wayfaring life of the believer. Have you ever felt like you were lodging somewhere—just a sojourner, never able to settle down? Oftentimes, the Christian pilgrim feels this way his whole life. We can never drive our tent stakes down too deep. Like the Israelites passing through the desert, the cloud may move any day, and with it, we must move too. Don’t be discouraged; there is coming a season of rest. As Peter was about to be less active than before, so will you find these seasons of rest—but even those come to an end. The only real rest that we will have is when we reach the other shore, the home He has prepared for us. Then, and only then, will our souls be at total rest, our minds at total peace, and our hearts completely satisfied with our accommodations.
It also teaches us about the sovereignty of God in our lodging. Peter didn’t just happen to be at Simon the Tanner’s house; he was there for God to speak to him about Cornelius, and for God to speak to Cornelius about him. It was here in this lodging that one of the most significant events in the book of Acts would take place. We might be tempted to think that where we are and what we are doing is insignificant. While our surroundings might indeed be rather unremarkable, what God does in these sorts of places never is.
It was in this leather tanning shop that Peter received a vision from God and was set forth on a mission to fulfill the destiny given to him by Christ: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” So don’t be discouraged if God has you camped out in a place where foul odors fill the air and men live by the sweat of their brows. It is in these places that God can fulfill His calling on your life and set you forth onto the next leg of the journey.
Lastly, our text can teach us something about our movements. God had spoken to Peter, but in uncertain terms—at least for the time being. After God had spoken to him, he was uncertain and doubted what the vision even meant. How many times has God prepared our heart for something, but yet we didn’t know what? He came with a burden, and upset our thinking—we knew He was showing us something, but to be honest, we weren’t sure what it was. Don’t fret, dear one. Soon He will come with a clarifying sentence, as He did with Peter: “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.” (Acts 10:19-20).
Peter would have been a fool to move while he still doubted and pondered what God was telling him, but as soon as God made it clear, he jumped to his feet and set forth, key in hand, to open the door of the gospel to the Gentile nations.
If you happen to find yourself in this situation this morning, rest in the place He has you. He does very significant things in very insignificant places. When He speaks to your heart and you feel as if a change is coming, wait until He makes it clear—He always does. Then you can jump to your feet, pull up the tent stakes, leave Joppa in the rearview, and set forth to fulfill the next leg of the journey with confidence and success.
Comments