When we are engaged in our praying, especially when we are praying earnestly for something to happen, we get very focused, which is not only understandable, but appropriate. That focus can be pretty all-encompassing, such that it demands so much of our attention that we don’t take the time to consider much else. Often we enlist others in our focused praying about this something, but we’re not thinking about what else might need prayer, and who else somewhere else might be praying about something else. And with that being the case, it is far from our focus as to how someone else’s praying somewhere else about something else just might connect with ours.
That is what happens in this story from Acts 10. In Caesarea, Cornelius, centurion with the Italian Consort and “God-fearer”, is praying, and gets a vision about having some guy named Peter come from Joppa to visit him. In Joppa, Peter, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples and now practitioner and proclaimer for “The Way” of following Jesus, is praying, and gets a vision that confuses him about eating good that is forbidden to him to eat, with God saying what he made clean shouldn’t be understood as unclean—never mind that his entire life Peter has learned not to eat this food because it is “unclean”. While still confused as to what this vision means, those Cornelius has sent to beckon Peter to come see him arrive, and Peter is led by the Spirit to go with them, even though he’s never met them, or Cornelius, before.
They travel from Joppa to Caesarea, and while encountering Cornelius Peter understands what his vision meant—that the non-Jewish Cornelius is not “unclean” and is just as welcome in “The Way” as anyone who has been practicing the Jewish faith their whole lives. As Peter says in Acts 10:28-29, 34-35, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. . . . I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” This vision from God gives Peter insight into how God works in a way that completely defies everything he has learned in his lifetime of living his faith.
So Cornelius prays, and gets a vision, and Peter prays, and gets a vision. And even though neither knew anything about the other one, and neither knew that they would connect in ways that would transform both of their lives, as well as the spreading of “The Way”—what we have here is a prayer at one end of the story and a prayer at the other end of the story connecting together. It’s almost like serendipity, a happy and mutually beneficial matching up by chance—except this is not chance. This is God.
Some of our serendipities may also not be chance, but God. Praying to get a new job, as someone who has a job to offer prays for someone to fill it. Praying for a new place to live, as someone with a place to live prays for someone to live there. Our focused prayers may very well be being met by focused prayers on the other end of meeting mutual needs. God works that way.
NEW TESTAMENT Acts 10:23-34, 42-48
23 So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, ‘Stand up; I am only a mortal.’ 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, ‘You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?’
30 Cornelius replied, ‘Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31 He said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.” 33 Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.’
34 Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. . . . 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47‘ Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ 48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.