Great Plains Daily Devotional for 5/7/2021

Acts 10: 28,34 & 35

He said to them, “You all realize that it is forbidden for a Jew to associate or visit with outsiders. However, God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean.

Many of you, like me, probably watched the verdict being read in the trial of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. All the emotions came rushing back with the image of George Floyd in my mind struggling for breath. I felt the horrible, gut twisting emotion all over again as I watched the video played over and over, of a white man with his knee on the neck of a man of color. The anger I felt brought tears to my eyes as I said, “Father forgive me and all of us.” I still cannot believe that in 2021 there are many who still do not accept that all people are created equal. Yes, our cultures may be different. Yes, we may not speak the same language. Yes, the color of our skin may be different. Yes, we may worship God in different ways. Yes, yes, yes – BUT that’s not the end of the story.

Peter said to them, You all realize that it is forbidden for a Jew to associate or visit with outsiders. However, God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean. I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group over another. Father in every nation, whoever worships Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. (verse 28, 34-35). Many are still stuck in that cycle that Peter speaks about in verse 28. BUT that’s not the end of the story, we tend to skip over the “however” of acceptance and reconciliation that all people are indeed created in the image of God.

Peter goes on to say in verse 34, I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another. Peter could have easily said, “I’ve got this,” “I understand,” yet he reinforced the fact that he was learning God’s ways. Just as we learn other aspects of our lives, we can continue to learn the ways of God. That is one thing I like about my faith journey – I do not know it all, and God is revealing and molding new learnings in my life every day. We must be prepared to learn, expecting that new experience every day. There is so much yet to know!

-Rev. Hollie Tapley
Disaster Response Coordinator
htapley@greatplainsumc.org

 

 

Prayer for Reflection

Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:25-31
1 John 4:7-21
John 15:1-8