¹⁵ The voice spoke a second time, “Never consider unclean what God has made pure.” (Acts 10:15, CEB)

One of the greatest challenges for the American Church in our day is to rise above the political rhetoric, quit drawing political lines in the sand, and hear the voice of God in our midst once again.

It’s not a matter of Democrat or Republican. It’s not a matter of ESV, NIV, CEB, gender inclusive, gender exclusive, etc.

It’s not a matter of Calivinist or Arminian. (Now I’ve gone from preachin’ to meddlin’.)

It is a matter of segments of our society that we’ve treated as “unclean” and there are Cornelius’s in those segments crying out for the living God. Will we be the “Peters” of our generation to finally reach out and touch parts of our world we have foolishly declared “unclean”?

For Lent, give up the religiosity of what we’ve declared “unclean.” Instead, put on the power of the Spirit and see what might happen.

It won’t be comfortable. It won’t be pretty at first. It will drive you nuts. But just see what the Spirit may do.