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.’
Acts 17:26-28
Acts 17:26-28
Paul was at the Areopagus waiting for Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens. When he noticed all the idols it galled his Judeo-Christian heart. He knew there was only one God from his Jewish raising. He knew from the revelation of the prophets that “…The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) He knew that Jesus was that God from his new encounter with Christ. It troubled Paul to see this very spiritually orientated people were being led astray by the enemy’s phony substitutes. Paul believed therefore he spoke out to them so that he could clarify their inclination towards God and spirituality.
He enlightens us is a few issues in this teaching. His first point is that God is the Director of human history. The Deity has separated us into nations, appointed our beginning times, and geography so that we would have the best chance to find Him even if we were only groping in the dark to look for Him. Then Paul teaches that God has not set Himself far away so that it is difficult to come to Him due to any barriers He has placed between us. No, He is the very substance of our existence. Then it is revealed that God’s relationship with us as Father is so clear that their own poets have come close to the mark by saying that we are His offspring. It is the enemy who divides us from our Creator. It is our own poor understanding that separates us from His eminent presence. It is the flow of the broken world system that carries us away from Him. For His part he has put us in the optimum time and place for each of us to find Him!
Thank You, Lord, for giving me the best situation for me to find you! When I question my circumstance bring me back to this place of knowing that You are orchestrating my environment to give me the ultimate relationship with You. Help me remember that You are never far away. All I need to do is grope in the darkness I am caught in and I will find You there! I am grateful for the way You made me and my place fit together for Your glory and my benefit.
Groping To Find Him,
Pastor Jason
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