Seeking after God

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:24-28

When Paul arrived in Athens, he began talking with people at the synagogue and in the market about the fact that Jesus was the promised Messiah. As usual, his assertions led to a series of disputes with some of the more opinionated Jews. However, some of the philosophers in the area were intrigued by the things that Paul said. They invited him to come with them to an area of the city where people often gathered for public discourse and asked him to explain this new doctrine to them. Paul had seen an altar in the city with the inscription, “To the Unknown God,” and he used their search for God as the theme of his message. He told them of the God who created all things, and that God’s purpose for mankind was “that they should seek the Lord.” This is the primary reason that God has given us life. Are we seeking after Him today?