Acts 17:16, “… [Paul] was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.”

We are often times distressed by what we see in our world today. Separating ourselves from the world is though is not a choice we can make. In fact it is opposite to the words of Jesus, who said,

John 17:15, “My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one.” And again He says John 17:18, “As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world”.

God is not calling us to a monastic life of silence and separation from our fast paced and ever changing world. We are not called to be so busy that we miss opportunities to engage with our fellow travelers. Church is not a place for us to retreat to from the “big bad ooga boogga” world around us. In fact the church was never designed to become a refuge from the world.

The desire of Jesus the Master Builder and Architect of the church is exactly the opposite! His design is that we find ourselves right smack in the middle of society, our generation and the world at large!

When it comes to feeling distressed … I think it is actually good for us to feel this kind of distress and allow our hearts to be moved by what moves God’s heart.

Look at the word “distressed;” In the Greek this word implies that Paul was stirred, sharpened or stimulated. It is an old verb used only once here in the book of Acts. What Paul saw stirred him, and sharpened his ability to speak. It was in fact an irritation that moved him to action.

21^st Century church people are also distressed and stirred by the hardship they see in their community. 21^st Century Christians are vitally aware of the desperate needs of people around them and regard their journey as a mission. The 21^st Century Church are a people motivated by the very cause of Christ.

A prayer …
May our lives, our intellect and our emotions be stirred and distressed. May our communication skills be sharpened and our attention to the world around us be stimulated so we see and hear as Christ sees and hears.

May we become irritated with church baggage from decades and centuries ago and be stimulated by the Spirit of God to reach out in genuine love accompanied by authentic actions.

May we be galvanized into radical love to touch and impact people around us who are worshiping unknown gods and introduce them to the God of all ages Maker of Heaven and Earth.