Mon., 7/30/18 Devotion (Acts 17:21)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 17:21, where we read these words:

"For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing."

Can you imagine having so much "free time," that one can stand around all day chatting about "new things"? Actually, this is the situation today, with most modern people. They have nothing better to do, than to fritter-away their time, trying to fill themselves up with some “new” toy.

The reality, however, is that there is "nothing new under the sun,” (Eccl. 1:9).  All "new" thrills, "new" sins, and "new" experiences are actually very old. They take on themselves the circumstances of the day—but they are not "new" at all. The best path for the child of God is to go back to the "old ways” in the present “new heaven and new earth” in Jesus; and to enjoy the tried and true pleasures of life in Christ. When we do this, we experience anew The Giver of Life: Jesus our Lord.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Who ever stayed and waited long upon God, but he had more than he prayed for?” —William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]