Acts 11.21 The
Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to
the Lord. – St. Luke
What does it mean, to turn
to the Lord? We see this happening over and over in the Book of Acts –
people turned to the Lord. They
turned from paganism and false gods to the One True God. They turned from
ignorance to the knowledge of the One True God. They turned from unbelief to
belief. Their lives were different because they believed.
I think the same thing happens today – people turn from
following their own theology to following the Lord. It makes a difference in
their lives. It should be a celebration and remembrance in the Church when
people turn to the Lord. This world is abysmally wicked and when someone turns
away from that and stands against the flow of human culture, that’s a big deal.
But people need to be taught. And people need to serve.
And the message of Acts 10 and 11 needs to continue on today as it did then.
People need to turn from their own way to that of the Lord. Part of the turning
process is the learning process. We need to be careful that our Christianity
doesn’t stop at learning but also proceeds to serving and loving. And sharing
the message so others may turn to the Lord.
New Christians need to be taught not only the word, but
how to serve. New believers need to understand what they’ve turned to: a new
life of living to please the Lord in their conduct and to love others who haven’t
turned yet.
As we mature in Christ, we are to serve God by serving
others. And we’ll probably have to learn to serve others outside the walls of
our churches. The Gospel is social in
this respect: lovingly serving the needs of those outside the four walls of the
Church. If we turn from selfishness to Christ, then what? Our selfishness
becomes service to Jesus and our service to Jesus becomes our service to
others.
What is God asking of you and me in our turned-ness? I
think He’s asking us to help Him turn others. Not everyone is enamored with
earth and its ways. Not everyone is happy with the status quo of emptiness,
wickedness, and injustice. God is seeking those who will turn to Him and live
for others. Cornelius, the gentile Roman soldier turned. Great numbers of
Greeks and foreigners turned to the Lord. What would happen in our day if such
things happened?
Lord, the party is
not about me – the party is about the ones who hear of You and accept You turning
from the status quo of the earth and her ways. The party is about inviting them
in and seeing them turn from themselves and their culture to You and Yours. I
pray for opportunities today to help someone turn from themselves and the world,
to You. May I be vigilant in sharing my own turning and rejoicing with them at
theirs - Amen
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