What do you know about God? Do you feel like you know Him well? Are you more interested in seeking things of this world? Do you think you have plenty of time to seek God later? Are you sure you have time?
Being religious doesn’t mean we know God. We can follow religious traditions and doctrine without really knowing God. Of course, this is nothing new. There have been religious organizations for centuries that didn’t truly seek out God.
Take a look at today’s passage. The apostle Paul speaks to the people of Athens who had many religious traditions and worshiped multiple gods. They recognize there is a god they do not know and have built an altar to him. They realize there is a God who is mightier than all other gods, they just don’t know Him. Paul tells them he has come to tell them about Him.
Lest you think this does not apply today, it is very applicable. As I look around, I see people who are religious, who claim they follow Jesus Christ, yet worship other gods. Oh, we don’t say that and don’t call them gods in quite the same way the people of Athens did in the first century. But make no mistake about it, we worship them.
Our gods of today include climbing the corporate ladder, seeking beautiful houses, buying new vehicles, Hollywood stars, sports stars, and even our own vanity and pride. No, we wouldn’t dream of calling them gods, but we will call them idols. What is the difference? The people of Athens built idols for their gods.
For many people today, there is an unknown God. They don’t really know who God is nor who His Son is. They have not sought to know Him. They have merely followed traditions blindly. They walk down the path of destruction unknowingly. Don’t be one of them.
I pray we all give up our idol worship. I pray we decide to worship the true God of heaven and earth. I pray each one of us will seek to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Give up your idols. Get to know God. Seek Him out. Read God’s Word. Know Jesus Christ. Get off the path of destruction. Follow Jesus.
Acts 17:22-23 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 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.”
Marty Pressey 