Every night for more than six years my prayer partner would call. He’s a little 88-year-old man in Nacogdoches, TX, some 300 miles from me.

A couple of years ago, we started reading a chapter of the Bible before we pray. This has been fantastic for both of us. Oh the things we have learned.

One night while we were reading Acts chapter ten; something Simon Peter experienced struck me… in verse fifteen, a voice spoke to him again the second time saying “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Then, in verse twenty-eight, Simon Peter shared this with Cornelius, saying, “But God has shown me I should not call any man common or unclean.”

It brought back to mind some thoughts I’ve had about myself, how I get down on myself for not measuring up, or especially when I struggle with my weight and/or identity. I know I do not see me as God sees me.

I’m often negative because the road I traveled has not led me to that place I thought I would be at this point or stage in my life. I should be… successful in something. I shake my head and the feeling of defeat begins to creep in.

Yet…

I know I’m still moving forward and working on growing myself. However, in this passage, I feel God is showing me how I have been calling what He has cleansed common. I looked up the word “common,” and realize I don’t fit that label anymore.

God does not look down on me. He sees me as so much more than I see or anyone else sees.

The Blood of the Lamb has washed me clean. I am no longer common.

So putting this into practice; I’m choosing to not call the things He’s cleansed as common.