The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. Acts 10:24-27
When Peter arrives in Caesarea, he doesn’t just find Cornelius, he find his whole household! This group of people are waiting expectantly to hear some kind of news- they don’t know what, exactly, but they know that it matters. And whatever it is, they are ready to receive it!
We can learn so much from the spiritual hunger of Cornelius and his family. They knew this news Peter had to share was significant, even life changing, and they dropped everything to hear it and respond! Are there times in your life you’ve experienced this kind of hunger? How hungry are you now? Our desire to learn about Jesus and grow with him may look different in different seasons of our lives but the important thing is remaining willing to respond to the invitation to know more.
However, even as I say we should learn from Cornelius’ example, I want to add a caveat: while it is good to be inspired by the spiritual hunger of others, and it can often be a source of encouragement, beware of turning someone else’s walk with Jesus into a game of comparison. Jesus isn’t interested in how you measure up to your pastor or brother or Bible Study friend. He is interested in your heart.
Like Cornelius and his household, we can aspire to grow in our hunger for the Lord. Engage in worship where you’re at today, and examine where in your life you are hungering to learn or grow more. What steps can you take to grow in those areas? One step might be to learn something about the Lord from someone very different from you today, like a child, a neighbor, or someone of a different ethnicity.
By Jessica Rust
