Acts 10:4 Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.

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This is one of the most beautiful acknowledgement to a prayer in the entire Bible.

It is noteworthy that it was not just the prayers but the centurion’s acts of charity that backed up his sincerity to seek God’s face. It is also worth noting that the reference to a memorial offering before God is the same as those that are referenced in the book of Leviticus, “a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

What could be more comforting than knowing that your prayers are heard by God? We may not have an angel confirm this to us, but we have God’s Word. It would seem to us that when an angel shows up, the matter is settled! And yet, the message of the angel was that his answers were not going to come from this angelic being but rather from a disciple of Jesus.

And here is the true beauty of prayer. Just as the Lord was working on Cornelius’ heart, He was also working on Peter’s heart as well. The prayers of a Roman centurion were going to be a gateway to expanding the gospel to the gentiles. Think about this for a moment — the fact that we have come to know Christ as our Lord and Savior can be tracked back to this man’s prayers!

Cornelius’ prayers were getting answered in a far, far better way than he could ever have imagined. Could not the same thing be happening from our prayers as well?

PRAYER STARTER…

O Wonderful, Gracious God, we are in awe of how you choose to take our prayers and do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we could ask or think in answering those prayers. We know that we may not even see the impact in our lifetime, but we know that as we come to you in faith, you work wonders.

(Continue this prayer as the Holy Spirit directs you personally. Be willing to be bold in your prayers. What are areas that God and God alone can bring about?)