Acts 10, 11, 15
Lectio Divina {Divine Reading} Read. Reflect. Respond. Rest.
Read
As I was reading all of the passages for this week, I held two questions in my mind: “What’s your heart, God?” and, “Where am I in these stories?”
Reflect
There is no question that the stories in Acts 10 & 11 and Acts 15 are about insiders and outsiders. Positions are taken up and arguments are drawn. There’s conflict. The issues of the day sound like “hot potato” topics, that the people felt so strongly about them that they were divided into “insiders and outsiders”. Where am I in these stories? Insider or outsider? Doesn’t each group think they are the insider and the other is the outsider? How can we move out of “insider/outsider” mentality and into God’s reality? What is God’s reality? In these stories in the book of Acts, we find that God’s reality includes:
– God plays no favourites (Acts 10:34-36)
– the gift of the Holy Spirit is poured out on both “outsiders” and “insiders” (Acts 10:45, 11:17, 15:11)
So where does that leave us? Outsider or insider? Are those not just labels we apply to each other? Are we not all God’s insiders when we seek him? Do we resonate with what Peter said in Acts 15:11 “Don’t we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation?”
Respond
Jesus, may I see those whose positions I may not agree with as your insiders. The gift of your Holy Spirit is available to all of us. Help me to look at not only myself through that lens, but also to look at others through that lens. If the Holy Spirit that is alive in me is also the Holy Spirit that is alive in another, there is no outsider.
Rest
I long for rest when “hot potato” issues divide us. Recognizing everyone who has the gift of the Holy Spirit as insiders sounds like a place to rest. May we experience the love of God washing over us there.
Candice Letkeman
Candice is married to Curt and is the leader of the iPray team at Seeds Church.