Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 17:30 (New Living Translation)

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him…”

In the sentences preceding this, the readers are informed of God’s history with mankind. In this sentence, we read the prior ignorance was overlooked. No longer.

Simple instructions: (1) turn away from past sins and (2) turn to God.

Somehow we take these simple instructions and add a few hundred, “Yes, but” and “Okay, but.” There is no end to our, “but God, you gotta’ understand…”

Sorry. And I really mean, “sorry.” I am sorry about my sad state of affairs and my often-miserable actions. I am sorry that I can’t explain this to others in a way that they turn to God. I am sorry that my life isn’t the example it should be. I am sorry.

And I am grateful for the grace of God. The grace that means the Creator of all accepts tiny, sorry me. Please God, help me in my unbelief.