All Nations

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. ~ Acts 17:26

Paul had to have been heartbroken seeing all the different “gods” in Athens.  Ideas about different Gods and what happens when we die and ideas right from wrong were flowing through the streets.  I love how Paul says, “People of Athens!  I see that in every way you are very religious,” (Acts 17:22) as a way not to offend them, but in a way that will hopefully bend their ear to his teaching.  But he doesn’t stop there; he eventually gets to the fact that they even worship things that they don’t know; how can that be a god?  I imagine he has their attention as he goes on to explain that the God of the universe and everything in it does not need anything from us, but that He, in fact, is the whole reason we breathe and live.  In other words people, you are here because God wants you here.  God ordained for all nations to be created and he laid out the boundaries and he even decided when each person in each nation was born and ordained to perish.  Victories have been won and battles have been lost because God determines the outcomes of the nations.  The fact that you were born when and where is no accident.  Popular world leaders have been set up and appointed just at the time God commanded it to be so.  A powerful sovereign God we serve!  A mirage of ethnic groups in different geographical boundaries are all descendants of Adam, the first man God created.  Today you are right where you are supposed to be to best further Christ’s kingdom and to hear the good news.  You are at the appointed place at the appointed time.  Are you up for the challenge? ~ Amen