No Need for God?
Scripture Reading — Acts 17:22-31
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. . . . He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”
In a conversation I had with a young man recently about God, religion, and the church, I was told that he, like many other millennials, did not really feel a need for God. He was well educated and had a good-paying job, so he figured, “Why bother with God?” More than 30 percent of the people in North America think the same way and claim to have no religion whatsoever. Their lives are full, and they believe there simply is no need for God, religion, or the church.
No need for God? According to the Bible, every human being needs God—from the moment we are born until we die. We are dependent on God for every single breath we take and for every step we take. That’s what the apostle Paul said to his audience in the city of Athens, “God . . . gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” There was no need for the many gods the Athenians had invented. The God of heaven and earth takes care of all of life for all of us.
Whatever we may think, you and I need this God more than we will ever know—for this life and for the life to come. Ask God today to open your eyes, and receive him as your Lord and Savior.
Lord, help us to see how much we need you every day. Open our eyes and our hearts to make room for the Savior, who came to free us from sin and death. Amen.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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