September 28 – Reach Out and Find

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”  Acts 17:27 (NIV)

We have looked previously at some of the teaching the apostle Paul did in the city of Athens.  It was on what we call Mars Hill* that he shared the gospel to a group of people.  The people of Athens were intelligent people who sought truth and reason, but they did not know God.  Paul taught them how God had created human beings to live around the world in many different places.  These words remind us of the great desire regarding His human creatures.  This,  of course includes each one of us today.  God wants us to seek Him and to reach out for Him.  We are also reminded when we reach out for God we will find Him.  God is not far away from any of us but He does want us to seek Him and to reach out for Him.  And, how do we do that?  We reach out for him for God by faith believing and when we do, He promises to be there so He is there.  

*What happened on Mars Hill in Athens?

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January 12 – Not Far Away

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Acts 17:27 (NIV)

When the Apostle Paul visited Athens, the capital of Greece, he went to a place called Mars Hill which was close to the Acropolis and where the court of the Areopagus* met. This was a gathering place for those who sought discussion on new ideas. Our verse today comes from the recorded words that Paul said to those gathered there.  After telling the people that God, the creator of all, had caused them to settle in different parts of the world, he made this statement in today's verse.  God knows where each one of His creatures is He knows where you and I each are. And His great desire is that we reach out for Him and find Him. Our verse reminds us that no matter where we are on this earth God has promised that He is not from from from us. That means that we do not have to reach out far to find Him. We only need to be in earnest and to be honest in reaching out for Him. He is there for each of us no matter where we might be on this earth. 

*Areopagus

May 4 – Never Out of His Reach

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)

Does it sometimes seem like your requests to God are not heard or perhaps not  important enough for His attention? These words from the prophet Isaiah it this verse can help us remember God's ability to help His followers and His willingness to help them. God gave these words to remind his people in Isaiah's time that if they did not experience God's help it was not His fault. If we were to read the next few verses we learn that it was the sin of the people that caused God to not hear and hid His face from them. God wants us to know that He was able to help then and He is able to help now. Nothing is so separated from God that He cannot reach it and he is able to hear when we ask for help. Our God is listening and hears our call. His ear is turned in our direction waiting for us to express our prayers to Him. God will intercede for us, He can reach us in our situation and give us the help we need.