Saturday Reflection – 25 September 2021
Saturday Reflection – 25 September 2021
“The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.” Acts 17:24-25
We have always heard about God’s hatred for idolatry. There are many stories in the Old Testament in which we see many of the idols that were worshipped, and the consequences that were faced as a result from turning from Almighty God. Now, in today’s doctrinal text, the Apostle Paul entered the city of Athens and found the city filled with idols and idol worshippers. Chief among them was the altar bearing the inscription ‘to an unknown God.’ It was in that place that the Apostle as he proclaimed the message of the gospel, was confronted by some who thought him to be babbling about foreign divinities, but others were interested in hearing this message about Jesus, a message that they had never heard before. As Paul was given the opportunity to speak, he spoke boldly about the difference between Jehovah and other idols. It was his answer that is today’s doctrinal text.
We grew up, learning about God and experiencing the goodness of God, and as Christians sought to gain a more intimate relationship with the Lord and Master of our lives. The good thing is that as our relationship grows, as the days roll on, and we gain more experience, we continue to learn more about God, and as the saying goes, the more we are faithful to God, the more we find God faithful to us. And so, we reject idolatry and everything that seeks to draw our attention away from Almighty God. The thing is that the idols of this time, are not necessarily made of wood and stone, there may not be a golden image that we have to resist, but we find that in these days, instruments of technology; including social media and technological devices, music and movies have also sought to turn our attention, our morals, and attitudes from the things of God. We must be careful, to ensure that we have not made anything else in our lives to be idols. Anything or Anyone that take God’s place in our place is an idol. We must be careful in this pandemic, where we may seek these things to pass the time, or to comfort us, that they do not lead us from the comforting arms of our Journeying God.
Furthermore, the inscription gave the impression that they did not actually know Almighty God. Yes, the Apostle Paul, called the people of Athens a religious people, yet the label described an unknown God. It was interesting that they thought that they needed to build shrines or effigies, altars, and temples, to get to know God, though he remained unknown to them. Their thought was they needed to build something to represent their God, and so they built these structures with a view to get to know God. But Paul’s declaration is a reminder to us because we have confined Almighty God to the four walls of the church building. Because of that, our worship and Christian living was restricted to Sundays, when we would be at church. What the pandemic has almost forced us to do, was to live our Christian lives, and declare our Christian faith outside of those four walls. In fact, what the virtual worship experience has done is open a church in each home.
Paul explained to the people, that what they described as unknown, was in fact not far from them. They could not confine God to anything that they created, nor God does not reside in these objects of worship, nor does he depend on them. In fact, God is the creator and sustainer of all creation, and in Him, we live, move, and have our being. It is important then, that we seek to know God, and attain a relationship with Him. God will remain unknown to us, until we know Him in his fullness. Until we’ve come to a relationship with Christ.
Everything else that the world offers in an aim to give peace, joy, love, and contentment is fickle and fleeting. The hymnwriter pens “Solid joy and lasting treasure, none but Zion’s children know.” So, God cannot be restricted, nor will we come to know Him, by going through the motions, or in a more colloquial form ‘by just warming the benches’ Nothing can take our attention from God, in whom we know and believe, because we have experienced him, and in living by faith, we believe that God is who He says He is, and we stand on that assurance. If this is our resolve, then we are careful to ensure that nothing diverts our attention or allegiance from God. And that we do confine or restrict God, but that we remain open, trusting, obedient and willing to journey with God and to be used by God.
Until next week, many seek comfort and stability in uncertain times. It is this time, that we must live out our faith, by not confining God, to our church building, but to go in all the world. Furthermore, we are tested by many different immoral standards that are seeping into mainstream society. Now more than ever, must we stand resolute that others come to know God, and attain an intimate relationship with Him. Amen.
Dominic J. Blair