September 20
Bible Reading: Acts 17:25-34
Acts 17:25, “Nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
In Latin, “quid quo pro” means “something for something,” and speaks to an exchange or services between two parties. That was the way it worked for the Athenians and their gods. The gods demanded attention, so the people gave offerings and such. In exchange, the people supposedly benefited inasmuch as the gods were pleased and caused no havoc. In contrast, the One true God needs nothing and yet gives everything.
An attribute of God is something true about God, and one thing that’s true about God is that He is self-sufficient. Unlike the demanding false gods, the True God doesn’t need anything. Arthur W. Pink has commented on this: “During a past eternity, God was alone: self-contained, self-sufficient, self-satisfied; in need of nothing. The creation of the universe, angels and mankind, when He did, added nothing to God essentially…That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on His part, caused by nothing outside Himself, determined by nothing but His own good pleasure.”
Again, in contrast to the false gods worshipped by the Athenians, the true God only gives. All that we have has come from His hand. He is good and does good (Psalm 119:68). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Not only does He give us “life and breath and everything,” He gave His only begotten Son to save us from our sins (John 3:16). The giving nature of God was made fully manifest in the life of Jesus, who only ever gave and sought nothing in return (Acts 20:35). Our relationship with God is no quid quo pro, for He has already lavished His grace on us (Ephesians 1:8). There are plenty of good reasons to live to please God, but attempting to get something out of Him is not one of them.
“No one can outgive God!”—Jim Thompson
I SING THE MIGHT POWER OF GOD
We sing the mighty power of God
that made the mountains rise,
that spread the flowing seas abroad
and built the lofty skies.
We sing the wisdom that ordained
the sun to rule the day;
the moon shines full at his command,
and all the stars obey.
We sing the goodness of the Lord
that filled the earth with food;
he formed the creatures with his word
and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how your wonders are displayed,
where’er we turn our eyes,
if we survey the ground we tread
or gaze upon the skies.
There’s not a plant or flower below
but makes your glories known,
and clouds arise and tempests blow
by order from your throne;
while all that borrows life from you
is ever in your care,
and everywhere that we can be,
you, God, are present there.
LookingtoJesus 