The Difference

Bible Readings... Acts 11
Highlighted Verse... Acts 11:17 - So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?
Thoughts... Peter was relating the story of how Cornelius was brought into the Body of Christ to a group of Jewish believers. They had called him out for just going into the house and eating with the Gentile, much less baptizing him. After Peter had told the story, he concluded with the declaration "who was I to think that I could oppose God?"
How it impressed me... How significantly this contrasted with the Pharisees' approach! Once Jesus turned a question back at them by asking where the baptism of John came from. The Pharisees were not at all concerned with opposing God, only with the appearance of opposing God, so they refused to answer. Not Peter. He wasn't overly concerned about what the people thought... his primary thought was to follow the command of the God who had called him to follow years earlier. What a difference.
My response to God... Beautiful Savior, your requests are so simple... you've given me everything I need to accomplish your goal... and yet I fail. Help me day by day to come ever closer to your standard of complete obedience.