Have you ever wondered what gets God’s attention?
I mean, really gets His attention.
God is all knowing and everywhere. There’s nothing we can do and nowhere we can go that He does not see and hear us. But, sometimes God seems to take notice in a bigger way.
And sometimes I desperately want Him to!
It may be a need I’m desperately praying for, or that ever-present desire to please our heavenly Father, but His attention and approval is priceless.
In Acts 10 we meet an amazing man named Cornelius.
He was a well-known military leader; a Roman centurion. In spite of being a Gentile and soldier of Caesar, Cornelius was a devout servant of Jehovah.
After the Holy Ghost was poured out and the Church began, God started unfolding His much greater plan of saving the world beyond the Jews.
Cornelius got God’s attention.
Acts 10:3-4 tells us that Cornelius saw an angel of God in a vision, “coming in to him, and saying unto him Cornelius. And when [Cornelius] looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.”
Cornelius was a man who feared God, prayed always, and was a giver.
Go to Washington D.C. and you will see memorials to great men, such as the Lincoln Memorial. These were built so that future generations would remember the things Lincoln stood for, the words he spoke, and the impact he had on our nation.
Cornelius’ prayers and giving were a memorial before God. God thought the prayers and giving of a single man worthy of a memorial in His presence.
He sent Peter to Cornelius and extended saving grace to him and his entire house as they were filled with the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer always gets the attention of God!
Even during times when we feel like our prayers are hitting the ceiling and we’re getting no response, those prayers are rising like a memorial before God.
God honors both our prayers and our commitment to prayer.
We find in the Scriptures that God hears and delights in the prayers of the upright and righteous.
1 Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…”
If you want to get God’s attention, pray!
Let your prayers be a memorial before God.
Cornelius’ story also shows us that giving gets the attention of God!
His giving of alms was worth mentioning and God honored his giving.
We can give of so many things, time, talents, etc., and anyway we can give to bless others and advance the Kingdom is important! When we give of ourselves, we are being the hands and feet of Jesus and that will always get God’s attention.
In this particular instance, the giving of alms was noted. It can sometimes be easier to give in ways that don’t include our wallet. However, surrendering our finances to Him for His purpose is something God finds worth noticing.
Whether you’re blessed with a little or a lot, be a giver.
Getting God’s attention really isn’t very hard!
Fear God, pray always, and give!
It’s interesting that in the story of Cornelius we learn that God is no respecter of persons. This means your prayers and your giving are also worthy of a memorial before God.
The next time you feel like your giving is insignificant, and the next time you feel like your prayers are doing no good, just remember, there is a memorial under construction in heaven.
With each offering, you are adding to it. Each prayer is building it higher.
Keep building. God’s paying attention.