Know Jesus and know true peace

According to the Aug. 6-12, 2016, issue of “The Economist”, the Inland Northwest is is becoming a sanctuary of sorts, for folks preparing for the impending takeover of a political influence foreign or domestic or perhaps the failure of the national economy or power grid.

It seems fear is marketable. In our minds we’re trying to find some sort of calm to the question, What if these things were to happen? What if there is some truth to what’s being said?

The what ifs aren’t limited to someone’s mindset in some other part of the region, but can and do play a large part in our own minds and in our own lives.

What if my kid wants to be an artist but I’m thinking he needs to become a neurologist. I’m thinking biology classes but he’s thinking painting or saxophone lessons.

What if the “C word shows up on an X-ray? What if there is no Social Security when I reach the age?

I think I can safely speak for myself and others that the what ifs have a tendancy to cause much anxiety in us because we don’t particularly like the unknown. We can only manage the unknown so much. After that, life’s events are out of our control.

What if there was an answer to the turmoil the what ifs cause in us? What if we were to lay aside all our pre-understandings about God? What if we decided to not blame the actions of others for our own unbelief? What if we set aside all the reasons and excuses we’ve come up with to say “No thanks, God” or “There is no God?”

Consider this: What if God really does exist and what if it’s true what He says about loving so much that He goes to great lengths to show us? What if it was true that it’s as simple as believing “in” this Jesus?

What if, in the privacy of our own mind and inmost being, we turned from the turmoil of the what ifs to peace with God through Jesus. What if we were to not let the unrest we have in our souls go another day?

What if we were to seek out others whom we could trust with our inmost thoughts about the what ifs?

What if we could have peace in an uncertain world? I don’t particularly like bumper stickers sayings, but … “No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus and know peace.”

Bruce Macek is pastor at Newman Community Bible Church, 9230 Sagle Road, Sagle.