God is not far from, any of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being.

Wednesday, 5/13/15

Today’s readings give us two wonderful statements about God, and our relationship with him.

The first reading tells the story of Paul making his first visit to the great city of Athens. Its tradesmen, in the world-wide travels had encountered devotions to all the gods worshipped in that century. And, not wanting to miss out on anything, in Athens they had erected a separate altar for each god honored in every locality  around the rim of the Mediterranean.  

Now the Athenians back then were as keen on philosophy as we today are keen on sports. That had them erecting a stadium just for, the Areopagus, where people with interesting ideas could hold forth. At his turn Paul spoke in admirations for all the local gods honored by the Athenians; then he used that opening to go on to describe our unlimited God. 

Of God he said, “He is not far from any one of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being.”

That would incline one to compare God's presence with us to that of the air surrounding us. However Jesus lets us know that unlike the atmosphere that is silent and inert, God is always acting on our minds. Jesus , speaking of the Spirit of God, “When he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.”