Now
while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when
he saw that the city was given over to idols. - Acts 17.16
After Berea we find the unusual situation when Paul is off on
his own. He was anxious to get to Athens so he went there to wait for Paul and
Silas. From all appearance he was just going to go there and wait for Silas and
Timothy to arrive. Perhaps he was doing something of a survey trip to get to
know the city better before the other lads arrived. I don't think we know for
sure, but being in Athens chances are that was not a large Jewish population so
they would not, as their custom was, go to the synagogue to preach.
Anyway, we find Paul wandering the city waiting for them. But
while he waited something happened. He saw a city totally given over to idol worship.
His heart was so provoked that he could not keep quiet. He immediately
started telling people about Jesus everywhere he went.
I am saddened and challenged because I think of how seldom
my heart is ever provoked by the world around me. I can be so focused on me and
what I ‘need to get done’ that I forget that there is a world around me totally
given over to its own kind of idolatry.
Oh God, may my own spirit be provoked like Paul's as I go
through my walk today!
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