A Jot from John
“That they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us . . .” (Acts 17:27).
It is so easy to miss the things that lie so close to us. See the man who turns from this thing to that looking for peace and happiness, and after maybe a near lifetime he turns to the Lord, and finds the peace and happiness which he sought in material things and experiences. The Athenians had come to close to God in their thinking. They had felt the mystery of life and all its latent power, and still their feet remained planted in the carnal and selfish things of life.
Paul had great sympathy for these people who had come so near to so much, and yet had missed it sadly. Paul dared not look upon these people with contempt, for the thinnest veil separated them from the God they sought. Jesus had come to Paul and revealed to him how near God is to all seeking souls, and so he is prepared to guide these people into and understanding of the true God of all creation.
How can we explain the mysterious, bewildering, fearing, hoping, dreaming, dreading life of ours? Only can it be explained by the fact that Jesus came and said God is not far from any of us. We are weak, restless, and wicked because a thin veil of blindness rules in us, and our lives are untouched by His guidance. We are not alone in this world though many people so think. It is God’s unseen presence that haunts and disquiets us.
The only peace we can know is to be found in Christ. He is God Emmanuel. When we make our lives revolve about Him, then the peace that passes all understanding becomes the garrison from which we can live life well. Our Savior pointed the Samaritan woman to this truth when he told her to learn to worship in spirit and truth. When he told Nicodemus that he must be born again, he was leading him to the Father of all creation. But these Athenians did not know of the Christ who revealed the God whom they were really seeking. Likewise today there are thousands people whose lives are disturbed and who are religiously seeking God. We need above all things to tell them of Christ and of his revelation of God. That if they are to walk with God they must trust Him, that they must repent of their sins and be baptized into Him. (Acts 2:38). A great work we are called to do at Saint Andrews Road and may we truly be the light of our community and of the world.
JBD
