Day 15 - March 6

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. Acts 17:24-25

As the Spirit led him, Paul traveled from city to city to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of his many stops was in the city of Athens. Today, Athens has become a popular tourist destination because it is full of natural beauty and thousands of years of history, which is told through stunning buildings, statues and art. Many will come from around the world to walk through towering temples and stand in awe of the beautiful works of art dedicated to the gods. However, when Paul visited Athens this was not merely a place of history and art; it was alive. Philosophers debated in the Agora, priest worked in the temples, and the people dedicated their lives to learning and worshipping. Paul, an apostle of Christ, saw the overwhelming idolatry around him and felt even more compelled to preach to the people of Athens about a living God who cannot be carved from stone. Humans can create amazing works of art, buildings that stand the test of time, or discover scientific advances that heal and cure, but only God created the heavens and the earth. Only God breathes life into every living thing. Only God loved this world so much that Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, was sent to redeem it. We can marvel at art or become students of history, but only God is worthy of all our honor and praise.