Our lesson was on Paul's visit in Athens where he gave this great sermon about the Athenians who had a monument to the unknown God. Paul wasn't very successful here. A few people believed but most just thought his sermon was interesting and only wanted to know it intellectually, not make a real commitment to it. He was also not persecuted here as he had been almost everyone else he had been so far on his mission trips. It seems the people of Athens were very tolerant. Here are Beth's words that made me think of you all.
"I can not count the times I have asked God to crumble the spirit of opposition and persecution in many nations where Christians are a small fighting force. I will still continue to ask God to strengthen and project those facing opposition and persecution. However I now find my heart drawn across the map to places where a quieter dragon of perhaps equal force has made his den - the spirit of indifference. Christianity can grow and flourish under some of the most difficult opposition but it will prosper very little where people refuse to be changed by it. Join me in praying for nations full of people like the Athenians:
- People who don't acknowledge the uniqueness and completness of God
- People who see the True and Living God as just another philosophy"
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2 comments:
i LOVE YOU MOM! This is a great post. Thanks for your encouragement. :)
This is very true. Even in my short time over here, there is definitely a great sense of indifference and "What's good for you is good for you" approach to religion turning it into another man-made philosophy. Prayer is a great way for us to soften these hardened hearts and defeat the "quieter dragon".
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