The view from Mars Hill

I've tried to reconstruct the lost post (see below). Here it is:

One time when the apostle Paul was traveling, about 55 AD or so, he made a stop in Athens. He spent time with the people in the market place and told them about Jesus, but got a mixed reaction:

And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?" (Acts 17:18-19)

I think it's really interesting that they took him to that particular spot. The Areopagus is a treeless marble hill that sits just across from the great entrance to the Acropolis. Inside the Acropolis were the Parthenon, several temples to Athena, sanctuaries for Zeus and Artemis, a theater honoring Dionysus, a few statues and some other things. Paul and the crowd had a perfect view of both the great entrance and the Temple of Athena Nike, already over 400 years old at the time.

You can see what Paul saw, the view of the Acropolis from the Areopagus, here:
http://www.grisel.net/images/greece/Acropolis22.JPG

The Areopagus (or Mars Hill) was used as a spot for trying social, criminal and philosophical questions before the Athenian council.

Anyway, back to the Bible:

"May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; we want to know therefore what these things mean."

(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

I love that part. They'd make good Americans!

And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Now imagine being in that setting, with that view, and hearing this next part:

"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things;

and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us...." (Acts 17:24-27)

This is such an interesting passage. Paul goes on to say a lot more, but there's one part in that last paragraph that stands out to me when I read it. He says, "He made...every nation...that they should seek God." It sounds to me like right there he gave the Athenians something they were looking for--the meaning of life.

Argh

Maybe you other bloggers can feel my pain.

I'm home sick today, and had a nice idea for a post. Lots of time on my hands, not much energy but still felt like working...perfect. I spent all this morning and part of the afternoon on my post. It was about Mars Hill, Paul and the meaning of life. I did lots of fun research on the Aeropagus, the Acropolis, Athens. There were masses of Bible quotes. There was even (almost) a photo to go with it. It was beautiful.

I was within a couple of edits of finishing, when I moved my Bible away from my mouse. The Bible cover swung down and hit a random spot on the keyboard--whap! Then the computer came alive and began loading something. That's always a bad sign. Next thing I know, the screen is congratulating me for posting.

My husband marvels at my ability to do computer hyperspace jumps like that. "How in the world did you get there?" is what he always asks. (It's funny, I do just what he suggests and he can't tell me how I got there.)

I wasn't ready to post, so I went back to delete it and did the stupidest thing I've done for a very long time. I pushed the wrong button and instead of deleting just the post, out went the draft with it. Everything I worked on all day is gone. Irretrievably. All with the touch of a button.

So now I'm venting and hoping to feel better. And trying to get something good out of a really lame decision. I keep telling myself the Lord knew I was going to lose the post, so it's okay. It still doesn't feel okay yet, but that's okay. Maybe He'll show me an appropriate Bible verse.

Here's one that comes to mind:

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.
(Psalm 127:1)

Feeling a little better now. I'm off to go watch "The Lone Ranger" with my son.