Day 273: Stepping into the Den of IniquityActs 18:1
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Thoughts for Today:Corinth desperately needed Jesus. In Paul's time, the Temple of Aphrodite (the goddess of love) that once stood on top of the Acrocorinth had fallen into ruins; this however didn't stop the successors to the one thousand temple prostitutes from continuing to offer their services in the heart of the city.
Corinth was a city that catered to sailors and traveling merchants; it had earned itself a "wild west" kind of reputation. In fact, the very word korinthiazesthai, to live like a Corinthian, had become a part of the Greek language and meant to live in drunken and immoral debauchery. It is not surprising that Paul wrote the first chapter of Romans, the chapter dealing with the alienation of man from God, while in Corinth.
This reputation for immorality may be precisely why Paul chose to continue his ministry there. I can only imagine what kind of courage it must have taken for Paul to even enter the city. I would be wondering, could one person make a difference in the midst of so much evil, how do I start, where do I stay, will I be safe, who will be my support? There certainly would be many more questions than answers.
Questions to Ponder:Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the enormity of a mission before? Have your questions and concerns far outweighed the answers? What did you do? Did you continue on or did you give up before you started? What is God calling you to do right now? Will you step out in faith? Will you continue on?
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Thoughts for Today:Corinth desperately needed Jesus. In Paul's time, the Temple of Aphrodite (the goddess of love) that once stood on top of the Acrocorinth had fallen into ruins; this however didn't stop the successors to the one thousand temple prostitutes from continuing to offer their services in the heart of the city.
Corinth was a city that catered to sailors and traveling merchants; it had earned itself a "wild west" kind of reputation. In fact, the very word korinthiazesthai, to live like a Corinthian, had become a part of the Greek language and meant to live in drunken and immoral debauchery. It is not surprising that Paul wrote the first chapter of Romans, the chapter dealing with the alienation of man from God, while in Corinth.
This reputation for immorality may be precisely why Paul chose to continue his ministry there. I can only imagine what kind of courage it must have taken for Paul to even enter the city. I would be wondering, could one person make a difference in the midst of so much evil, how do I start, where do I stay, will I be safe, who will be my support? There certainly would be many more questions than answers.
Questions to Ponder:Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the enormity of a mission before? Have your questions and concerns far outweighed the answers? What did you do? Did you continue on or did you give up before you started? What is God calling you to do right now? Will you step out in faith? Will you continue on?
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