我们真的愿意被神使用吗？
使徒行传十章1至16节
1在凯撒利亚有一个人，名叫哥尼流，是义大利营的百夫长。
2他是个虔诚人，他和全家都敬畏神，多多赒济百姓，常常祷告神。
3有一天，约在申初，他在异象中明明看见神的一个使者进去，到他那里，说：哥尼流。
4哥尼流定睛看他，惊怕说：主阿，甚么事呢？天使说：你的祷告和你的赒济达到神面前，已蒙记念了。
5现在你当打发人往约帕去，请那称呼彼得的西门来。
6他住在海边一个硝皮匠西门的家里，房子在海边上。
7向他说话的天使去后，哥尼流叫了两个家人和常伺候他的一个虔诚兵来，
8把这事都述说给他们听，就打发他们往约帕去。
9第二天，他们行路将近那城。彼得约在午正，上房顶去祷告，
10觉得饿了，想要吃。那家的人正预备饭的时候，彼得魂游象外，
11看见天开了，有一物降下，好像一块大布，系着四角，缒在地上，
12里面有地上各样四足的走兽和昆虫，并天上的飞鸟；
13又有声音向他说：彼得，起来，宰了吃！
14彼得却说：主阿，这是不可的！凡俗物和不洁净的物，我从来没有吃过。
15第二次有声音向他说：神所洁净的，你不可当作俗物。
16这样一连三次，那物随即收回天上去了。
信息分享
至少有两个原因：哥尼流是其中一个最先信主的非犹太人，彼得首先要克服他那种根深蒂固的「民族主义」情意结，才肯把福音传给这些非犹太人。对教会来说，这是一个非常重要的转捩点和里程碑。
神期望信徒能打破旧有的人际阻隔，让福音得以在非犹太人的圈子传开；然而，当时的信徒却不愿意向同胞以外的人分享福音。不过，我们在批评他们之先，必须抚心自问：我是否愿意听从神的吩咐，神要我做甚么，我就做甚么呢？我是否愿意向任何人传讲基督呢？即使是那些令我讨厌、使我避之则吉的人也在所不辞？
神做了一些特别的事情，来引起彼得的关注，使他遵从祂的吩咐而行。神让彼得在异象中看见天上缒下一块大布，内中有各种牲畜、野兽、昆虫和飞鸟，目的就是要他明白：在神眼中，人人平等。
当彼得终于明白神的心意，并且愿意到任何地方及向任何人去传讲福音的时候，他很快便发现，神原来早已预备了一个渴慕救恩的外邦人家庭，他们正等候他去向他们讲解福音。
只要我们真的愿意被神使用，神就必会使用我们。我们若立志每天向主祈求：「主啊，求你带领我，让我有机会向人传讲福音，向人分享你在我身上的作为」，你必惊讶地发现，神很快便会垂听你的祷告，把一个像哥尼流那样已预备心志去接受福音的人，带到你的面前。关键是在于，我们要先回答最初那个问题：我们真的愿意被神使用吗？
祷告：
主啊，求你让我有机会与人分享福音，同时，又求你指教我懂得如何与人分享。
ARE WE REALLY WILLING FOR GOD TO USE US?
Acts 10: 1 - 16
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”
So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.
8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance
11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Message
There are at least two reasons. This was the first group of converts who were not Jews and Peter had to overcome his own deep feelings of 'racism' before he was willing to preach to these non-Jews. It was an important turning point for the church.
God wanted to break down old barriers so that the gospel might reach out beyond the Jewish circle. But those who knew the gospel weren't willing to share it with anyone else. Before we criticise them, however, let's answer this question - how willing am I for God to use me in any way he wants to? Am I prepared to speak to anyone about Christ, especially those who seem to me to be unlovely?
God had to do something unusual to get Peter's attention, to make him willing. The whole message of the sheet full of animals and birds was a lesson to Peter that all the people of the world are equal in God's sight.
When Peter understood what God was saying and was willing to go anywhere and to anyone with the gospel, then he found a heart and a home prepared by God and waiting for him.
If we are really willing to be used by the Lord, he will take us at our word. If we are prepared to say each day 'Lord lead some soul to me today and help me to speak to that one about you and what you mean to me', we may be surprised how quickly and how often God answers that prayer. You will often find that, like Cornelius, God has prepared their hearts for what you have to say. Let's go back to our first question - Are we really willing for God to use us?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
'Lead me to some soul today, Oh teach me, Lord, just what to say.'