Daily Reading: Acts 17
For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. (Acts 17.23)
Devotional Thought: Before the American Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, one representative said, "We have to pass the bill to see what's in the bill." In other words, the bill was too large and complicated to be known simply by reading about it. It was knowable only by experience. Though questionable as a legislative practice, there is a spiritual principle there.
When Paul arrived in the Greek learning center of Athens, he was confronted with their rampant idolatry. They were very superstitious and had gods to cover every aspect of life. And, just in case they missed anything, they even had named a god of mystery – “an unknown god.” Paul took that fact and made it into an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus – “What you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you!” This is a picture of the need in our world today.
Billy Graham, the great American evangelist, once said, “America is searching… searching… searching…” These words echo in my heart. There is something missing in the heart and soul of our nation. We are trying to find it in sports and entertainment, digital connectedness, political correctness, social engineering, non-judgmental inclusiveness, spending to prosperity, partisan posturing… With all our attempts, the “American Dream” is more elusive than ever. We cannot find the unknown thing we are seeking.
Let us commit ourselves as the people of God to bear witness to The Great Unknown Who Is Knowable: Jesus Christ! Oh, let us proclaim Jesus! Live Jesus! Share Jesus! God was in Christ reconciling America to himself! (See 2 Corinthians 5.19.) People are searching… We have the answer! How blessed to proclaim Jesus!
Prayer: "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness." But, this mystery "was manifested in the flesh." Help me, O Lord, to make known the unknown God. Help me to proclaim Jesus. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: Psalm 74:9-17
9 We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!
12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.
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