“Memorial Offerings”

“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”
Acts 10:1-4

When I read that passage, the first thing I considered was that Cornelius was just a normal guy. He was not a priest. He was not a Pharisee. He was not a Sadducee. He was not even a Jew! Cornelius was a man who loved God and loved his family. However, he was a man who lived in such a way that it got God’s attention. When it came time for God to pour out the Holy Spirit on the gentiles, God chose Cornelius and his family.
Cornelius had distinguished himself from other God-fearing gentiles through his prayers and gifts to the poor. The angel told Cornelius that his prayers and gifts had come up to God as a memorial offering. A memorial is something established, like a special day or a monument, which causes us to remember a particular person or event. Whenever Cornelius would pray or give to the needy, it rose like smoke from a burnt offering to the throne of God and caused God to remember him. Like a sacrifice made on the altar in the Temple, Cornelius’ prayers and gifts were pure. They were properly motivated. They were not done out of obligation or coercion, but from a heart devoted to God. They were not done to gain notoriety among men, but offered as an “outflow” of a right relationship with God.
Cornelius was the poster-child for Matthew 6:1:
“Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
What are the ‘acts of righteousness’ Jesus is speaking of? They are... giving, prayer and fasting. Like Cornelius, we ought to be men and women recognized by God for our generosity, our passionate prayer and perseverance in fasting. Always remembering that none of these brings us into right standing with God, but rather they are born out of our faith and relationship with Him.
Giving, Prayer and fasting touch the heart of God. They are fragrant offerings to our Lord! It is my prayer, for this New Year, as you give, pray and fast that God will pour out His Spirit upon you and your family.

Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/