hopping right off of the flannel graph

Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

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But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

And the voice came to him again a second time,“What God has made clean, do not call common.”This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. Acts 10

It never ceases to amaze me, these childhood Sunday School stories that I have heard and seen illustrated by so many flannel graph paper cut-outs.  And now the words are the same, but my heart is different.  

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And it is clear that prayers and alms can rise as a sweet offering to the LORD God, and it’s not so much about making sure that every Law is obeyed since childhood.  In fact, God was pretty clear on this: Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting--they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings.

And what does He call for instead: Stop doing wrong, learn to do right.  But His right is not what food we eat or how we wash. Lest we be confused, The LORD God goes on to specifically define right:Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

I too am weary of pious meetings.  It is time for action.