Acts 10:9-16

Acts 10:9-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

   Working makes me play the lottery more often.  Not every day or every week, but sometimes I'll stop by the store on the way home and buy a ticket with a (very small) chance of winning several hundred million dollars.  I think the idea of having lots and lots of money without having to do any work sounds rather great.
  We all like to get something for nothing.  We love the idea of an outsize reward for little work.  While we scoff at the signs on the side of the road that offer high pay for little work, there's a little voice inside us that hopes there is such an offer out there for us.
  When I read these 8 verses, I want the second part of the story, the vision that guides and leads, the voice from God that directs the feet, but I often don't want to put in the work that Peter does in the first part of the verse.  I want the direct benefits of a close relationship with God, but I often fail to put in the work necessary to draw near to God and train my heart to hear the Spirit speaking.
  So how do you make space to put in the time, to lead your heart into a closer relationship with God, to train your mind to focus on God and God alone?  It's hard, but the benefits of a close relationship with God requires that we design our lives to see everything through the lens of discipleship.  It's not about earning salvation, for that is a free gift.  It's about shaping our lives to let grace lead us into growing discipleship.