Acts 17:24-28
September 12, 2012 | My Jottings
Sometimes I read something in the Scriptures that seems to shimmer on the page, and I’m drawn to read it again and again, and then set my Bible down on my lap and look out over Lake Superior, and ponder. Sometimes what I read seems to beckon me deeper into the verses, to meditate on them, to pray over them, to say them slowly aloud or silently again and again in my mind, because I know there’s treasure there to be mined.
These are the verses I’ve been meditating on lately, from the seventeenth chapter of Acts:
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’
And here’s the same passage from The Message:
The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him!
I love this passage.
And sometimes a word or two from the portion I’m reading seems to lift (not literally) off the page and lodge itself in my heart and mind so that I want to think on them for a long time, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal something to me in them that may not be noticed at first read. Or even second, third or tenth read.
The words in this passage from Acts that I can’t get out of my mind are…
“…so that…”
Maybe soon I’ll write about some of the richness being unearthed from these words.
What is your favorite verse or passage from the Bible?
Do you ever meditate on one portion of Scripture for long periods of time? If so, what have you found or experienced from doing this? I would love to read your answers.
God bless you all today….
Hi Julie!
I love that you posted these verses from The Book of Acts!
They have always captured me, too! I have a little calligraphy piece that I did a long time ago, of: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” I made it into a magnet
and had it on our fridge for years 🙂
Hope you have a good day tomorrow!
Love to you,
Shari
I would love to see a picture of your calligraphy piece, Shari. I’ve always loved your beautiful handwriting so I know your calligraphy would be gorgeous. I always noticed your “g”s. 😀 Much love to you….xx
When I read that you had been reading through James recently, I thought that it would be a good idea for me to re-read this book. I read it a couple of days ago while I was suffering from immense stomach pains because of a sickness bug. (Talk about going through trials!) The reading of James not only helped to take my mind off my discomfort, but it also bombarded me with many truths that I hadn’t seen before (or perhaps hadn’t acknowledged – that’s quite a difference). And that was just a quick read through.
So Alan and I are going to work our way through James slowly and steadily and not only read it, but truly endeavour to put his truths into practice.
So, if I hadn’t been laid up and feeling miserable, perhaps I wouldn’t have got around to reading my ‘medicine’. God wastes nothing!
Hoping you have a truly blessed, relaxing, fun few days.
Kay
Thank you for your always inspiring comments Kay… God bless you and yours xxoo