GOD IS NOT FAR FROM US

GOD IS NOT FAR

 

Our church was blessed with Pastor Roy, a guest speaker today who read from Acts 18:24-28, the oration of Paul at Mar’s hill.

He asked us to consider the location of Athens Greece a beautiful place in the classical world, but full of religious temples to various gods. 

Paul was uneasy with the many kinds of idols and couldn’t help himself to share Jesus.  Some wanted to argue and discuss with him, this new religion.

The people requested that he come with them to Mars Hill and speak of new things which they were always willing to hear a new thing. 

Many were excited and curious to hear about Jesus, while others were suspicious, quoting some of their own poets.

These men believed all sorts of things.  Paul may have wondered, "Wow God must be a long ways from here.  How did I get myself in this place? "

Where do we find God?  Most Jews looked to Jerusalem, where the temple was consecrated. 

In Greece there was the Parthenon and many temples representing a variety of gods.

As Paul spoke, he quoted some of their own poets and told them “GOD IS NOT FAR FROM US. 

As we think about our own local city, there are lots of disturbing things around us, strange ideas and often life is upside down.  We think, “Where is God?”

Then we remember, “GOD IS NOT FAR FROM US.”

A Rabbi once said, “The world is not derelict, it belongs to the Lord.”

Imagine yourself with Paul standing in a place where every belief imaginable is there, but God IS present there with us.

We don’t need to go some other place to find God.  There may be a temptation to leave and search elsewhere, but accept the fact that; "Here is where I belong."

The beauty is that we can be in a moment of illness or grief, yet GOD IS NEAR.  People disappoint us and circumstances are not always to our liking, but GOD IS NEAR.

Don’t focus on buildings and temples made with man’s hands, and you will find stability to discern that GOD IS NEAR.

God doesn’t need a Holy mountain or an icon; HE IS NEAR.  What ever circumstances you find yourself, God is NOT far.

We do not know what this new week holds for us, but let us be a carrier of Good News to those people who we meet. There are enough people who seem to know where God IS’NT.  May we bring good news and not doomsday tidings.

It makes no sense to travel to find God, for He is already near us.

Will we be open to share this Good News and cause others to realize that GOD IS NOT FAR?  HE IS WITH US EVEN NOW.