An overall good day, Father, and I thank You for Your guiding hand. May I have a listening ear attuned to Your Word. Amen.
Acts 10:24-33 (<<click here to read the passage)
When I was in high school, way back when, Heinz came out with an ad promoting their ketchup.
Heinz ketchup is known for being thick and pouring very slowly – and remember this was way back before squeeze bottles when it was sold in glass bottles. The ketchup took quite a while to come out. In the commercials, a person would be shown waiting as the ketchup slowly came out of the bottle. The chorus of Carly Simon’s Anticipation played in the background. The iconic ad has led many to think of the song as “The Ketchup Song.”
The lyrics of the commercial
Anticipation, anticipation,
..Is makin’ me wait
As I read through today’s passage, I couldn’t help but think of anticipation…not the ketchup kind, or the Carly Simon kind, not something that is here today and gone tomorrow, but the genuine kind that brings the best reward of all – a relationship with Jesus Christ – and that is for all eternity!
This short portion of Scripture begins and ends with palpable anticipation. Cornelius had sent a small entourage to find and bring Simon Peter back. Verse 24 says,
They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. v24
His anticipation was high! He was not going about normal daily business; he was waiting so that he would be ready for whatever was to come without a moment’s delay. And it was important to him, so much so that he called all of those close to him to join him for this highly anticipated revelation of God.
After mistakenly falling at Peter’s feet (…Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” v26), he told Peter the story of his interaction with the man in dazzling clothes and that he had sent for him at once.
Cornelius concludes what he had to say with, “Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” v33 NLT
Anticipation! Palpable anticipation!
This was what was important…nothing else. Press “pause” on life, this is what really matters! Stop. Listen. Yield. God has brought us all together for the distinct purpose of fulfilling all we have strained to know!
Lord Jesus, we have become so jaded and sadly our spiritual appetite has become satiated with the mundane and mediocre. Heighten our spiritual cravings for the smorgasbord of Your creation! Oh, Lord, may it be so! Amen!
Apr 4th, 2022, Mon, 4:52 pm
