“Turn To The Living God”
In Lystra there sat a man who couldn't
walk. He hadn't been able to use his feet since the day he was born. He
listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked right at him. He saw that the man had faith
to be healed. So he called out, "Stand up on your feet!" Then the man
jumped up and began to walk.
The
crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian
language. "The gods have come down to us in human form!" they
exclaimed. They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul was the main speaker. So they called
him Hermes. Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of
Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to
offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.
But
the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes.
They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted, "Why are you men doing this?
We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from
these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the
heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them. In the past, he
let all nations go their own way. But he has given proof of what he is like. He
has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their
seasons. He provides you with plenty of food. He fills your hearts with
joy." Paul and Barnabas told them all these things. But they had trouble
keeping the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.
Acts 14:8-18
We
do not rival the apostles in our accomplishments for God, but we all have
things we do for Him. It is then that we serve to deflect glory that might come
to us, to God. Make sure God gets all the glory for everything we have done.
Man’s greatest goal is to bring glory to God.
Our Daily Bread –