While our theme this year is fruitfulness, I’ll admit that I’ve never been very successful at gardening or growing any kind of plant, much less fruit. Since Theresa and I live in a condo townhouse, most of our growing is limited to a few planter boxes on our patio. Last summer, we finally took the opportunity to try to plant a few things in these boxes. The biggest investment we made was to plant two hydrangeas in one of our larger planters. We had to remove all the old and faded soil, the dead roots and weeds, and make room for these new plants so they could thrive and grow.
In Acts 10, we have a narrative about Peter and Cornelius. I think the idea of making room could be applied to this story. To summarize, a man named Cornelius has a vision to go and find a man named Peter. Cornelius is a God-honoring person and a leader in the Roman military, and also a Gentile. Cornelius sends off three people to go find Peter. While this group is on their way, Peter also has a vision. He sees a large sheet filled with all kinds of animals, some of which by Jewish law are not permissible to eat.
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 to heaven.Acts 10:13-16
Peter was definitely perplexed by this vision. He was a follower of the Jewish law, and one of Jesus’s most faithful disciples. He would go on to be the foundation of the church. This vision disrupted his core assumptions and challenged some of Peter’s patterns in life.
While Peter was still pondering the vision, Cornelius’s men arrive and Peter agrees to go back with them to Cornelius’s home. Once there, Cornelius shares the vision he had, and Peter begins to understand the meaning of his own vision. God had accepted Cornelius, even though in Peter’s previous understanding, “it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile” (verse 28).
As Peter shares the gospel with Cornelius and those gathered in his household, the Holy Spirit comes on the people listening and they begin speaking in tongues. Peter now understands what God is doing, and has Cornelius and his household baptized.
Through the story, it is almost as if God is making room in Peter’s heart, spirit, and mind for Cornelius and his household. Look how far Peter had come. As he says in verse 28, it is against his law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile. This was the law that Peter followed. But in verse 34, he says, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” By the end of the chapter, Peter is baptizing and welcoming fully into the family of God people he would not have even associated with before.
At times, God will use different circumstances as a way to make room in our own lives. It is so easy to fall into familiar patterns in life. We have our daily routines that can be difficult to disrupt. We have our relationships, and at times it is easier to coast in these relationships than try to grow and improve them. We may have habits and tendencies that are comfortable and familiar that are resistant to change. At times we may even pursue such a comfortable life.
But, as Peter found out, the journey of discipleship is one of growth. It is one of stepping out as God calls us forward. I was so encouraged by Wes’s sharing on Sunday about Kingdom Kids. Wes is part of our core leadership team for the ministry. Through his own stepping out, and willingness to serve, Wes has seen growth in his own walk with God.
My prayer today is that at Lifespring, we would not be people who pursue familiarity and comfort for the sake of those things. Instead, we would be open to the sometimes challenging and risky journey of following God. And as we do, we will find ourselves growing, not only spiritually but in terms of character, calling, and purpose, which is truly the best way to live.