The True

Was it Different When?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

“Peace I leave with you.”

“My peace I give you.”

These are all words spoken by Jesus in John 14 as he taught His disciples how they should carry themselves once He was no longer with them in physical form. It was abundantly clear—due to Jesus emphasizing it over and over and over—that they, and we, should not live anxiously. Jesus was clear and emphatic that we should not be troubled, and that we should live at peace because He was giving and leaving His peace with us!

I was reminded of this Truth recently after a kind admonition from someone I love. I was sharing frustration over the fact I was too routinely feeling stressed about provision and material things. I said something along the lines of, “God has been so faithful, but it’s also been a very stretching season, and that is sometimes stressing me out.” It seemed like a reasonable statement to me at the time, but I’m so grateful for the loving and refining response that followed. The person I was speaking to listened, thought for a moment, and then asked,

“Was it different when circumstances were different?”

In other words, did I stress less when I was stretched less? In seasons of greater physical comfort, was I more at peace? Of course, the reason for the very important question was to identify the source of my discomfort. Was it really because circumstances were less comfortable? Was my peace really rooted in something as flimsy as a temporal security in things I know will pass away? Was it different when something so insignificant was different?

After more than a moment of honest contemplation, I conceded it really hadn’t been that different when circumstances were more comfortable. Even when the path before me had been firm, certain, and comfortable, I had been prone to stress over things I know are soon passing away.

I was seeking a peace in things incapable of providing peace! Even worse, I was doing so at the expense of simply accepting a peace that surpasses all understanding that Jesus so clearly told me He was giving and leaving to me! My heart does not need to be troubled, but the way free of that trouble has nothing to do with circumstances and everything to do with the work already accomplished on the cross, and by accepting the peace freely given by the One who completed that work.

So today, my friend, are you at peace? Or are you, like I, prone to stress? And if you are prone to stress but inclined to believe it is because of the very real and very stressful circumstances in your life, I ask you to consider the same question asked so gently of me:

“Was it different when circumstances were different?”

Have you known a time when you walked in the kind of peace you desire? If so, was it because every circumstance was peaceable? I have yet to meet the person in that situation. Circumstances on Earth are never altogether smooth. Or was it because your peace was rooted in the gift Jesus gave and left to you?

If you have not known a time of walking in peace, I invite you to join me in recalibrating where your peace is found. Your circumstances on Earth will never be fully peaceable. Even so, your heart can be untroubled. Your mind can be at peace. Your spirit and even your soul can know a peaceful rest in the midst of those circumstances. How? Because it is a peace rooted not in circumstance, but in the One who holds all things and Who took great pains to give and leave that peace with you!

Live with that peace!

U.S.

Tax Day

The deadline for most Americans to file their annual income taxes is upon us. The deadline, informally known as Tax Day, occurs each year on April 15 (or the first business day following), and unless a taxpayer has an exemption or has filed for an extension, it is the last day to file individual income tax forms without penalty for the preceding year. Although some taxpayers file as early as January, nearly one in three filings occurs in the three weeks leading up to the deadline.

Analysis and eternal perspective: Here we are again, talking about money. As we work to grow our capacity for living a Gospel-centric life, it is inevitable to frequently return to the topic of how we steward our resources and material possessions. It is no accident Jesus spent a disproportionate amount of His earthly ministry teaching on money, and particularly on how to properly prioritize its impact on our lives. He did so because He loves you, is jealous for you, and wants to be first in your life and heart (Matt. 6:33, Pr. 3:9-10).

It is so easy to allow the desire for material gain to outpace our desire for “treasure in heaven” (Matt. 6:19-21). I stand at the front of the line of guilty on this one. A friend and I reflected on this recently, and I confessed, “I spend so much time chasing material gain.” After thinking about the statement a moment, I recalibrated slightly, “I waste so much time chasing material gain.”

To be sure, God has called us to be faithful in our work to provide for those within our care and authority. I am grateful for parents who instilled in my siblings and me the tenants of 2 Cor. 3:10, which my mom paraphrased, “A man does not work, a man does not eat!” Now, my mom always fed her children well, but we also understood that work is required for even the necessities of life!

As with so many things, this comes back to a heart condition. As you file your taxes this year (or even if you are an over-achiever and are long since finished), ask yourself a few questions:

For what does your heart yearn most? Is it provision and comfort? Or is it a treasure so much greater--one laid up in a place where it cannot be stolen or destroyed? The income, deductions, and credits that make up your tax form represent things of this world that are here and gone in the blink of an eye. But they give you and me a chance to reflect on a daily life that produces those entries and consider afresh how we can be constantly calibrating that life toward our eternal home!

Space

Eclipse

Millions of North Americans were treated to a solar phenomenon this week as the view of the sun was fully eclipsed by the moon for those within a path stretching from western Mexico to eastern Canada. Millions of people traveled to this “path of totality” to get a glimpse of the rare occurrence, which lasted less than four minutes and will not occur again in the U.S. in this coast-to-coast fashion until 2045.

Analysis and eternal perspective: This week, millions were captivated by the glory of God, even if many were either unaware or unacknowledging of it. Psalm 19:1-6 is a vivid depiction of what transpired across the sky this week. Take a moment to read the full six verses and bask in the cosmic praise of our Creator that was on display this week! Here are a few of the highlights:

The heavens:

- Declare the glory of God!

- Daily speak (without words or sound) knowledge of the living God into the whole Earth!

- Provide a canvas for the sun, which was created to produce life and warmth to all of God’s created on Earth!

For Jesus followers, it is easy to see the loving character of our Creator in a phenomenon like an eclipse. It is telling, however, how sweeping the attraction is to those who do not connect the spectacle with its Source. The power of the majesty of God is so intense and so transcendent that even a four-minute display of just a portion of it has the power to command the attention of millions who are either ignorant, agnostic, or outright hostile to it.

Here is our reminder for today: The world is drawn to God’s magnificent Truth and beauty because each person was made for that Truth and beauty. Let’s look for opportunities this week not to point out who does or does not currently acknowledge this connection, but rather to help someone make that connection for the first time! Perhaps it is as simple as sharing with someone in your world that, for you, the eclipse spoke of the glory of a God who loves you!

After all, it wasn’t just a miracle in the skies, but rather one that proclaims a Truth that lives in you! Offer that Truth to those around you!

World

Japan Prime Minister Visits the U.S.

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is visiting the U.S. this week. The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes an address to a joint session of Congress, meetings with President Joe Biden and senior U.S. officials, and tours of Toyota and Honda facilities in North Carolina.

Analysis and eternal perspective: The alliance between the U.S. and Japan has grown steadily stronger since its volatile origins after World War II. The two countries are now viewed as strong economic and geopolitical partners, though, as we’ve discussed before, many U.S. officials have expressed concern about a current plan for Japan-based Nippon Steel to acquire the United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel). As with any alliance, leaders from the two countries have divergent views on a number of issues, but the Prime Minister’s visit is intended to strengthen the relationship for the years ahead.

As Jesus followers, we should endeavor to use our voice and influence for common flourishing all around the globe. For those of us living in America, this invitation also comes with a mandate to wisely steward the abundant blessings we have been afforded (Lk. 12:48). In the realm of foreign affairs, it means encouraging our leaders to demonstrate consistency in diplomacy with both allies and enemies. Domestically, it means honest self-reflection within our own personal political camps and a constant eye toward serving and caring for the vulnerable.

No matter where on the globe you reside, it is appropriate to consider:

1) Who in my neighborhood can I serve, and how?

2) Who on the other side of the globe can I serve, and how?

The Beautiful

Milk and Honey (and Coffee)

In Exodus, God led His people to "a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8). In Isaiah, it is proclaimed, “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3).

There is goodness and sweetness all around you, and it is so often wrapped in exquisite beauty. Be intentional this week to notice the beautiful presentation of even those things that have become common to your existence. Your life and your homeland also flow with milk and honey (and coffee too)!