From the Pulpit: Focusing on peace

It seems like the world has never been as connected as it is now. 

Communication can happen instantly between people around world. A village may not have running water, power, or sewage, but it has cell phones.  

We have 500 friends on social media. We have 500 followers that view our comments and insights. We have 500 potential ego strokes reminding us that someone is noticing us. 

We feel connected. 

And yet as a nation we are more medicated, depressed and lonely than ever before. Research shows us that more people are seeking help through medication with the hope of finding peace. Often the result of dealing with the symptoms rather than the cause is a continued sense of feeling alone. The peace we are looking for may not be found if we focus on the wrong solution. 

For many, the complexities of relationships will require some expert guidance to work through the healing process of overcoming loneliness. And I encourage such endevors. But for many others, the solution is found in knowing and being known by our Creator. The peace that is missing is a relationship void.

God has made himself known. We see in Romans 1:20 that the invisible attributes of our eternal and divine God are clearly perceived in creation. We see in the Gospel of Luke chapter 2 that God desires a relationship with us by pursuing us through the person of Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). 

Sometimes our lack of peace is a focusing issue. What are we focusing on in order to find peace? The solution might be one of divine connection. Are we connecting with the source of peace?