The Unknown Altar

Today, there are many Christians who are simply lukewarm. Many of us are being choked out by the cares of this world, idols, distractions, fantasies, etc. Jesus even talked about how one of the four soils would be thorny, which means the seed that grows there would be choked by all these things that never reach its full potential which is heartbreaking.
“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” – Matthew 13:22.
Many are the cares of this world but the only true care we need to focus on is Jesus. Now, when Paul visited Greece where the towns Corinth and Athens resided, Paul noticed how these Corinthians worshipped many gods and idols that they even had an altar to one they didn’t even know!
“For as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:” – Acts 17:23.
The Corinthians were clearly being choked out by all these idols, false gods, and cares of the world. Whether we realize it or not, many of us have been like the Corinthians in this manner. So many of us will put our idols and distractions on the same priority if not higher than God so much so that He is unknown to us. Isn’t it interesting how so many people will devote all this time and focus so willingly to their idols yet when it comes to the one true God, they don’t even know Him. It is interesting how people will know everything and all the tiny intricate details about their idols yet when it comes to God, they don’t even consider just how valuable and important He is because they don’t know Him in a relationship. It should also be said that just because you know about Him doesn’t mean you know Him.
“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,” – Acts 17:30.
Paul then talked about how this time of ignorance needs to stop as he knows it is harming these people. The truth about ignorance is that ignorance is the enemy’s playground. Why? Because the enemy thrives in secrecy and being undetected. The enemy is like an assassin for assassins use stealth to make their plans work. They wait for the most opportune time to strike unexpectedly. If we are ignorant of God, then the enemy can use that ignorance of God to deceive us about God. If we know God, then the enemy’s plans and lies will be clear as day revealed in light which makes the enemy futile.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” – Hosea 4:6.
This knowledge isn’t just a knowledge of things about God but the knowledge of knowing who God is and His heart too. The greatest blessing is to know God and His heart; therefore, to lack this blessing is to lack the greatest joy of your life. So overall, don’t become so obsessed with all these cares of the world that you may know everything about them and not know God. There isn’t anything wrong with knowing about things you are passionate about. In fact, it is wise to know things and be a knowledgeable person about certain things too. The problem is when it triumphs over God. You must put knowing God above all else in His respective number 1 priority in your life.