To an Unknown God

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” — Acts 17:28

Paul travelled on to the famous city of Athens, in Greece. Athens was full of clever people: thinkers and teachers who loved to discuss new ideas.

But as Paul walked around the city, he was very upset. Everywhere he looked, there were idols: statues of all kinds of gods and goddesses. The whole city was full of them.

So Paul talked with people in the synagogue, and in the marketplace every day, with anyone who happened to be there. Some of the clever thinkers heard him. “What is this babbler trying to say?” some of them said. “He seems to be talking about foreign gods.” Because Paul was telling them about Jesus and the resurrection.

So they took Paul to a meeting of the important council of Athens, called the Areopagus. “Tell us about this new teaching,” they said. The people of Athens loved nothing better than talking about the latest ideas.

Paul stood up in front of them all.

“People of Athens,” he said, “I can see that you are very religious. As I walked around your city and looked at the things you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Well, the God you worship without knowing Him, I am going to tell you about.

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in temples built by people. And He doesn’t need us to look after Him, as if He needed anything. He is the one who gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

“God did all this so that people would look for Him, and reach out for Him, and find Him. And He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His children.’

“Now God commands everyone everywhere to turn back to Him. For He has set a day when He will judge the world fairly, by the Man He has chosen. And He has proved this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

When they heard about someone rising from the dead, some of the people laughed at Paul. But others said, “We want to hear more about this.” And a few people believed, including a member of the council called Dionysius, and a woman called Damaris.

Paul started where the people were. He talked about their altar and their own poets. And then he led them to the true God, who isn’t unknown at all. He made us, He gives us every breath, and He is never far away.

Read it in your Bible: Acts 17:16–34

Dear God, thank you that you are not unknown, and that you are not far away from any of us. Thank you for every breath you give me. Help me to know you better every day. Amen.