IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

Acts 17: 22 – 34


You here them everyday. Stories of people who felt an unknown presence in their lives, just when they needed it. Not all of these people are Christian, and not all of them know that there is a good.
Their stories usually end with the phrases, “I knew it was going to be alright”, “It was like a miracle or something”. At this time of year we may see on TV a story of a “Christmas Miracle”, where something, or someone, unknown has changed the lives of an individual or family.
In Athens, Paul was looking at the places and articles of worship, when he found a small shrine dedicated to an unknown god.

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
23 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. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

Paul went on to proclaim the Glory of God to all standing there, and as we often find today, most scoffed and walked away, while a small group wanted to know more.
Like I've said in the past, everybody wants to know about a god. Even the Atheists, and Secular Humanists know and fear Him. They know that once their own members have children, these people have a tendency to leave the movement in search of the presence of God in their lives.

So while many search for and feel His presence when they need him, few remain to seek him further.

Today is the eve of the day we achieved victory. As the book of Isaiah tell us, unto us a child is born.
That child was the living embodiment of the living God. Sent to redeem the world. So today, and whenever we get a chance, we should tell the people who tell us of the “miracle” times in their lives, of the one true God, that “unknown god” that Paul described to the men of Athens.

Paul said that God is at work among people of all nations “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:27-28).
We should be alert for the Lord’s presence where we least expect to see Him. Jesus may invite Himself to any Christmas party. After all, it’s His birthday.