Turbulent Times

Suppose the things that make you happy were gone in an instant.

According to an Associated Press story, last year saw the “world gone wild.” Heat waves, earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, super typhoons, drought, tornadoes, and blizzards—2010 had all that and more.

Natural disasters killed more people worldwide than did terrorism in the previous 40 years combined. Economic losses totaled $222 billion.

In the past few weeks, thousands of people in Australia lost everything in the worst flooding on record. In Brazil mudslides destroyed villages and families with no warning. In Arizona a crazy shooter indiscriminately took the lives of six people at a grocery store parking lot.

This year isn’t looking much better than 2010!

How can you be sure it won’t happen to you? And if it did, what would you do? Are we to live our lives in constant fear? How can we be at peace in such turbulent times?

Well hold on just a minute.

Catastrophes and tragedies are not new to this world. The world’s first parents, Adam and Eve, had to deal with tragedy when their son Cain killed his brother Abel. Suffering is part of living in a sin-cursed world. Evil can affect us all. Good people suffer like everyone else.

In Psalm 23, David the Shepherd-King tells us how people in the family of God cope with tragedy. He writes, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you [God] are with me.”

Calmness in the valley comes from confidence that God is our companion.

When a child of God comes to such a ‘valley,’ God says, “You’re not in this by yourself. I’m with you.” He has promised his children, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

God will never be closer than when you are in the valley.

Even in Jesus’ day people were surprised by tragedy. A tower fell without warning and killed eighteen people. The Roman governor, Pilate, massacred worshippers in the temple.

What should be done? Jesus’ replied that we should turn from our sin and be sure we are right with God. None of us knows when our time will come.

The solution for facing the crises of life is as near as the Bible.

No matter where you are in your life spiritually, God invites you to draw closer to him. Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

According to the Gospel of John chapter one and verse 12, if you will come to Jesus and receive him as your Lord and Savior, you become a child of God. And as his child, he is present in your life and promises to provide for you and protect you.

One of those promises (found in the Bible) is in Philippians chapter four and verse seven which says, “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

So if you want a peace that can weather these turbulent times, come to Jesus. No one is too burdened, too bad, too old or too young to find rest and forgiveness in Christ.

Peace is not found in fame, fortune, religious practices or a church. Peace is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. That’s the message of the Bible.

Listen to the Bible; it’s good for your soul!