July 13, 2026
Profane and Sacred
Read: 2 Chronicles 25, 26; Psalm 12; Acts 10: 1-23
Scripture: Acts 10: 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
Observation: You may have heard people say I will obey God only if he directly tells me to do something specific. We expect people to say “yes” to the Lord and obey him without question. In Acts 10, Peter says “No” to God and refuses to comply with the Lord’s command. He was not the first to say, “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” About five centuries before, the prophet Ezekiel made a similar refusal to God (Eze.4:13-15). Jews hated eating unclean foods and were ready even to die if forced (They did it during the Maccabees' time). Scholars observe that every religion or culture divides all things in the world into two categories: profane and sacred (unclean and clean). People’s religious beliefs, society, and cultural practices use these two categories to accept or reject people, unite them, or discriminate against them. The idea of “unclean or clean” divides people and leads them to show partiality based on color, race, gender, and caste.
Jesus has already taught us what makes a person unclean or defiles a man (Mt. 15:11; Mk.7:15). When apostle Paul writes to Timothy, he says, “everything God created is good,” and warns him about the teachings of deceiving spirits that forbid people to abstain from certain things (1 Tim.4:1-5). As Christians, we should be watchful about what comes from our hearts, not our and others’ outward appearance. It is easy to say, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33). But the real challenge is to put it into practice. When the Lord asks us to do something against our expectations or/and social norms, we must obey him without any delay. God can make anything to be clean and pure. When we obey God’s word, we become God’s channel of blessings to others. God speaks even today. Perhaps he says something you do not like or want to hear. Do you listen to his words?
Application: I will obey Jesus’ words without boasting anything about me. I will always be ready to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people. I should not discriminate against people based on their caste, color, race, or gender. I should see people just as God sees them. He is the Lord who makes me Holy. He can make anyone clean and pure.
Prayer: Father God, you are the Good God, and everything you created is good. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Jesus, use me today and help others understand the purpose of their lives. Amen.
✍️: Arputharaj Samuel
📕: Quiet Time Companion
🗓️ Day – 194