COFFEE TALK WITH GOD: Revealing the unknown God

The story about Paul in Athens revealing to the Greeks who the God of the Universe really is has always delighted me. The idea that they had a statue to “an unknown god” excites me because they knew there was something else, they just didn’t know who God was.

As a young believer, The Lord provided for my livelihood in such a way that for two years I only worked an average of about six days a month. The rest of the month was spent at church, in prayer groups, serving people, studying the Bible — in print and many hours of listening on cassette. Hearing the text was impactful. When something struck me, I’d stop the audio and go to The Word to read it for myself. A study usually ensued.

Having grown up in South Louisiana I was very familiar with the saints and statues that are so much a part of faith. The mere presence of statues in my memory helped me to understand a people who worshiped the sun god, not knowing the “unknown God” was the one who created the heavens and the earth, both the sun and the moon, all living creatures and everything on, in and under the earth. He also knitted each and every one of us in our mother’s womb — but in giving us free will, with a temptation to disobedience, we are vulnerable to believe anything we want to keep sin active in our lives.

I could imagine Paul coming back today. What would he say? 

Thus the reason I keep going back to scripture with each problem and opportunity I face. Flamboyance is fun, but have I perfected the gentle and quiet spirit that reflects Jesus? “What would Jesus do?” is not just a slogan. It urges learning to be the reflection of our Savior — often requiring submission. This is have not perfected.

Scripture helps me to stay focused when “busyness” tries to take over.  In Acts 17 Paul tells us, “God isn’t served by humans as if he needed anything. He gives everyone life, breath and everything they have.” He delights in us and desires what we had together in the beginning — fellowship with God as the humans he made to walk with him in the garden. Selah!

The scripture that broke my heart for months as a baby Christian was in Matthew 7, “Away from me, I never knew you.” I knew that for decades I had walked around knowing stories about Jesus, but — did I know him? More importantly, did he know me? I had to be sure and continued in my quest to read The Word. 

With prayers offered going up in so many ways other than to Jesus — like the idols in Athens — can you imagine the thrust in heaven if everyone whose hearts are turned toward God, prayed “in the name of Jesus,” the son of God whose blood sacrifice took away our sins? The explosion of eternal power in heaven would be enormous — the atom bomb of intercession. Selah!

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people,” 1 Timothy 2.

In my Bible, that about sums it up concerning idols and prayer.

 

Vicky Branton is the Teche Life editor at The Daily Iberian.