In Acts 17, Paul is evangelizing a crowd in Athens. He argues that God has “determined allotted periods and the boundaries” of mankind. In other words, we live where we do and when we do by God’s sovereign providence. Why has He determined those times and places? So that we would seek Him.
It is an amazing thing to recognize that God has ordained the times and places of His people for His glory in the spread of the gospel. The reason you live where you do is so that God might be made manifest to others. It is no accident that you find yourself here and now. It is part of the preordained plan of a missional God Who desires to make Himself known through His children.
This truth should compel us to be intentional with our lives. It should affect where we buy our houses, which restaurants we frequent, how we interact with our neighbors and waiters, etc. It means that you and I live and breathe here and now for the purpose of proclaiming the goodness of the glory of God, that He might be seen and enjoyed by others.
Reflection and Intercession:
- Consider.
- Do you live with such intentionality? Are your decisions about which restaurants to visit, which coffee shops to frequent, what house to buy and where to purchase groceries colored by the lens of God’s glory?
- If you find a deficiency in your own intentionality, consider why you struggle with living missionally.
- How can your particular gifts and skill sets minister within the particular context in which you live?
- Confess.
- Confess your difficulty in engaging in missional living.
- Confess any disbelief in the intentionality of God’s sovereign placement of you in this time and place.
- Praise.
- Praise God that He has placed you where you are.
- Praise God that He is absolutely sovereign over the times and places of all men for their good and His glory.
- Intercede.
- Ask God to cultivate a deep intentionality in our lives.
- Ask God to continue to grant you boldness and encouragement in engaging others with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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