Look Around and Prepare to be Impressed

Acts 14:11-18 (NIV) When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"

Paul and Barnabas had their work cut out for them. Not only do the people not recognize the true Savior when He is walking in their midst as Jesus did. Now they declare men who are trying to point them to the true God as gods themselves. And these same fickle people, only days later, stoned Paul and left him for dead.

The Lycaonian people seemed to be a superstitious breed. They believed in Zeus and Hermes, popular Roman gods, who were claimed to have visited Lystra. No one offered them hospitality except for an older couple, so Zeus and Hermes killed the rest of the people. Upon seeing the miracles of Paul and Barnabas, they assumed that the gods were revisiting them.

Paul saw this as a teaching moment and began to tell the people about the One True God and how belief in Him changes lives. The duo taught God never leaves, but evidence of Him is everywhere. All people need to do is look around at nature; the beauty of leaves, the bounty at harvest. These things are evidence of God’s goodness.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 (NIV)

This is helpful to you and I also. When it seems God is displeased with us, when we wonder where God is in our lives; we only need look around.  When I truly stop and consider this world I cannot deny God’s goodness and His love.  When my week is tough and life seems never to cut a break, the reality of God breaks through.  All I need to do is look around.

  Acts 14:11-18