READ
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:22–31, NKJV)
REFLECT
All men are religious, they are just worshipping the God of their making. They decide who and how to worship instead of letting God say who He is and accepting Him as He is. They manifest in their mind who God is and worship that. So it is true, they are worshipping an unknown God because they are refusing to know the real God, who reveals himself and expects us to accept Him as He says He is.
Paul proclaims the True God!
God made the world and everything in it.
He is Lord of heaven and earth.
He does not dwell in temples made with hands.
He does not need anything from us , since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. He is pure giver.
He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. (We are all bothers and sisters of ONE family line.)
He has determined all men’s pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. (All our days are ordained)
He wants all to seek the Lord.
He hopes that man might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
In God we live and move and have our being.
We are His offspring.
The Divine Nature is not like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising (idol of man’s making).
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but NOW COMMANDS all men everywhere to repent.
He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus) whom He has ordained.
He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (PROOF)
PRAY
God, I confess I too make you into who I want you to be instead of accepting your testimony. Please God forgive me. Help me know the real you. You made everything, you need nothing from us, you are Lord of all your creation. You have determined my days. You are wanting me to seek the real you. You command man to repent of their evil thoughts and ways and to know you. You want to give us a righteous life so we can be saved. You will judge! Jesus will judge those who accept His life in them and those who reject this righteous GIFT. It is a gift! But it must be opened and appropriated. You gave us proof of your decree by raising Jesus from the dead. Please my Father, have mercy on my broken heart and soul. Open my heart to heed your call and help me accept and appropriate the righteous free gift you want to bestow. GLORY TO YOU MY GOD. AMEN.
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