Universal Quests

"Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." Thessalonians 5:1-11.

Observing people is something that I do a great deal of. Whether I am at the ‘Wally World’ or at the local gas station paying an unbelievable amount of money for a gallon of gasoline, I find myself looking at people. Rebekah is consistently reminding me not to ‘stare’.

What I find is quite interesting. As people are purchasing, whatever, the conversation always relates to the high prices. This has always been the case. I vividly recall the early 1970’s as the price of gasoline ‘took off’ from 25 cents per gallon to 31 0r 32 cents. “What are we going to do?” was the question and the same question is asked today as we are paying in the neighborhood of $3.50+ per gallon. Nothing has really changed except for the price of gasoline.

People everywhere have the same fears and desires….everywhere. The fears and desires may be energized by different forces, but those feelings of insecurity remain. There is no peace nor security except in the Christ.

The same quest is present everywhere, how to find peace or security in a volatile environment. Terrorism was an everyday event in Peru during the 80’s and early 90’s and everyone was very much aware of the presence of the ‘Shining Path’. No one was immune from the fear of their presence, whether in mountain villages or the metropolitan capitol city of Lima. The people who understood peace were the Christians. The same holds true today in a post 9/11 environment.

With the General Election of 2008 fast approaching, the question on everyone’s mind is ‘Who is the best candidate to hold the office of the President of the United States?’ With both candidates ‘at war’ with words and expressions of platforms, the electorate will soon cast their ballots and hope to find peace….but whether it be Obama or McCain, neither of them holds that key, either.

For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. vv 2-3.

We live in a day while those who are making proclamation of the Word of God are ignored. However, many preachers that I recall for my 60 years of life have been saying the very same thing. The point of reference comes directly from Scripture. “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." Hebrews 12:25-26.

The desire to know peace is universal, and many routes to discover peace have been devised. Thousands of religions are existent that make attempts for inner peace, but none exists in the mind of man or woman. Only God is the Author of Peace that is found in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His desire is everyone to find salvation. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” v9.