Blessed Lord, hold the hand of this dear reader today in whatever they may face; in Christ Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Acts 17: 22 So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. 23 When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with. 24 "The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines 25 or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. 26 Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living 27 so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. 28 We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' 29 Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it? 30 "God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better - but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. 31 He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead." (The Message)
Since the beginning of time we humans have been creative and imaginative when it comes to creating stuff. Yet, nothing compares with what God has made. This was what Paul said as he encountered the many shrines to idols and false gods in Athens. Eager to cover every base, the Athenians had even built one for the unknown god. Paul took advantage of that and said, Listen up, I have the whole story behind that unknown God, for I know Him and you can too. And he tells them the story of God and God's love and invites them to believe in this God, our God. Paul even mocks the idea that is an Old Testament idea as well, that of creating something handmade and then calling it a god. It makes no sense. That is why it is written in the OT as foolish to worship the creation instead of the Creator.
In our lives many idols and shrines have erected dwelling places in us; cars, homes, televisions, music players, etc., etc. They take center stage in our lives and when we measure the time we spend with them vs. the time we spend with God, we find out who we are, and where we're heading, to a spiritual death. As Paul did to the Athenians, let him do to us: Share a word of worry and a call to action, renouncing those idols and false gods and turning instead to the true God, the Creator of all things.
PRAYER: Loving God, help me renounce the things that have taken priority in my life over You. Let me seek to place You first in my life as I know I should. Forgive me for those times that other things have taken Your place. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
