Throughout the Easter Season, the daily devotions have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s writer is Ella DeKunder.
“About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.
Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back into heaven. Acts 10:9-16
When reading a passage of scripture, there are key words and phrases that stand out and really make the scripture more than the sum of its parts. Reflecting over this passage, the words that really stuck out were the ones delivered to Peter from the voice of God, saying, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”
In my opinion, this scripture can really be boiled down to these ten powerful words. Because you see, everything beforehand serves as a form of contextualization, a way of setting up the true message found at the end of the passage that was important when it was delivered, and is applicable now and forever.
I feel that we as humans have a bad habit of judging things or people that are different than us, under the pretenses that they are “unclean,” “profane,” or whatever other labels we give them. However, judging people or deeming who or what is acceptable is simply not our job. Many people have heard or used the catchphrase “only God can judge me,” which is an important phrase. But the reverse is equally true and that is “only God can judge the people who are not like me.” Everything God has created is beautifully and wonderfully made and we as God’s people have to know that it is not us that determines what is “clean” or “profane” but instead it’s God’s.
Let us pray: Lord, help us look beyond our personal judgements of what is right and wrong, or clean and unclean. Give us the strength and courage to trust in you and in your creation. Help us reach out to others and spread your love. In your name we pray, Amen.
Daily Devotions 
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