Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 14:16-17 (New Living Translation)

16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”

Paul is talking to a group of people in a place called Lystra. Paul had just healed a man who was crippled in his feet since birth. The people are amazed (who wouldn’t be?). They declared Paul to be a god and all that stuff. There were statues nearby of Hermes and Zeus and all those things.

Paul pleaded with them. Those statues were nothing but nice sculptures. There was no god in them. There was no power in them. There is a real God who created everything.

The real God let people go their own way, but always provided people everywhere and at all times with evidence of God’s goodness. Consider the simple example of rain. God brings rain so that crops grow and feed people and livestock to feed people. Food comes from God. That is evidence of God’s goodness.

And then consider happiness and joy. Do we think those things are “just natural?” No, they aren’t. Happiness and joy are gifts from God. They are evidence of God’s goodness.

I have a hot cup of coffee. I have a table in front of me. I have a chair. I have a pen and paper and computer and napkin and clothes and let’s not forget about air conditioning here in July or August and… Okay, I’m just describing the stuff right here in front of me. It’s just plain stuff and it is evidence of God’s goodness.

It is all around me. I just have to open my eyes. Thank you God for all your goodness to me.