Daily Devotional for Friday, February 3rd

Peter and the Critics at Jerusalem

“And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord;
for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice
answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common,”
Acts 11:7-9.

“One of the first things learned by any missionary, especially those who serve abroad, and that of course, would be abroad from whatever place is home, is that there are customs to be embraced, at least outwardly, that will often involve food. That being the case, one is wise to check for any familiarity that can be found such as color, texture or general shape, especially if it is a meat of some sort, and second, to be sure it is well done in cooking. I’ll be honest with you, there are times I’ve pushed food around on a plate only to eventually slide it off under the table to the two or three dogs awaiting the scrumptious morsels. And once, I noticed that the table was short of one dog. I didn’t ask any questions.”—Memoirs of a Missionary, Glen Knight
Let’s face it. The differences among us that so often divide us by all the parameters established within global society are not as numerous as the similarities that actually should unite us. The Word of God declares that He “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). There is, in the heart of every human being, a need for connection. Undoubtedly, this is why social media has gained such an addictive hold. But we seek connections with those who are like us. Sadly, in a virtual world, anyone can be made like any other for convenience’s sake. And therein lies a great danger. We need a connection that is safe and secure. That is what we find in Christ. And that is also what we discover in the fellowship of believers, through Christ.

AN AMAZING TRUTH: In Him, no one is common; everyone is extraordinary!

Glen Knight