Acts 17: 23, 24, 29
23 “For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship — and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 29 Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by human design and skill.”
When Paul came to Areopagus to preach the good news about Jesus and his resurrection, he decided to walk around and view the area. He saw objects of worship and an altar with an inscription that appalled him. As he preached to the Jewish and Gentiles, he emphasized that God is the absolute Creator and Lord of Heaven and earth and does not live in man-made temples. Paul continued preaching and explained that God cannot be “an image” or an idol comprised of “gold or silver or stone” because they are of earthly materials from which idols are made”. (Powell) Have we become too attached to non-spiritual priorities in our life? Possibly. Are we repeating biblical history in this century?
For me, maybe we need to listen more intently to scripture and to each other. Paul was an outstanding missionary who had the gift of preaching to the masses. Although it can be difficult to listen at times, all we can do is try each day. Also, perhaps many of us are depriving ourselves of a loving relationship with God. During this pandemic and “staying in place,” let us consider reflecting on our faith and pray for spiritual guidance in our lives and for our church community.
Juanita Dombkowski, EFM, Year 4
