It’s encouraging to see Paul continuing to grow as he pressed on to take the Gospel to people who had never heard.  He began delegating responsibilities to teammates.  But when he was alone, he missed them.  Being such a strong personality you’d think he didn’t need what he preached to others – we need each other. 

It’s not like he was immobilized when alone.  He might have felt lonely at first when he went to Athens, but as he walked the streets and saw the blindness and arrogance of the people, he by faith was obedience to his calling.  He reasoned with those in the synagogue and marketplace as he shared the good news.  You see his intellectual prowess as “a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him.”  Soon they asked him to present his views in the Areopagus. 

His message was profound: “Men of Athens!  I see that in every way you are very religious.  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.  Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”  He perceived their misconceptions and then presented the creator God and the one through whom He could be known.  He quoted some of their own poets as he proclaimed the true God as creator, judge, redeemer, and concluded by declaring Christ’s resurrection.  Not many, but some did respond by faith and a church was planted!  

Are you responding to the challenges you face today with faith and obedience?