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All tagged assurance
Lessons many of us learned in preschool and kindergarten still apply—be nice, share, and show respect for each other. We live in a world that seems to have forgotten these relational basics.
Even the church—the people not the institution—needs some reminders. We need to be reminded of some basics that Jesus often taught.
Growing up and living in Southern California, I was accustomed to the occurrence of earthquakes. In a strange way, it became somewhat normal if that's really possible.
But you can't anticipate or adequately prepare for an earthquake. They can be predicted to some extent but they hit without immediate warning.
Every election cycle voters put great hopes in their candidates, as leaders who will bring change or stability or both. Yet, there's no one person who will garner everyone's support because people have such diverse concerns and issues.
Recorded history reminds us of the ups and downs of civilizations and cultures. History is cyclical. Life, in general, is cyclical, just as the seasons within a year. The greatness of a nation or era of civilization is preceded and followed by periods of mediocrity or worse.
The problem is consistency and succession of leaders and their governing power. Even religious and theological views vary because they're tied to ever-changing generations and leaders within each generation.
Thankfully, there is one leader who is enduring, trustworthy, and compassionate. He was not elected by people, nor is He limited by human fickleness and frailty. He is powerful, yet humble. Superior, yet approachable.
A common hook used for selling something is to offer a guarantee. Of course, the hook might come with some catches like time limits or other restrictions. It's the "money-back" guarantees that are most appealing.
You can also buy extended warranties and some credit cards even offer warranties. But remember, guarantees or warranties are only as good the one who issues it, whether it's a person or a company. Are they trustworthy? Will they stay in business?
Another limitation is whatever is being guaranteed. Any item or service, even a life insurance policy is limited because it's temporary. A life insurance policy is only in force while a person is alive and pays out when they die.
But what about a human soul? It's contained within a physical body but it exists beyond physical life. What kind of guarantee is there for life after death and eternity, or is there any? Again, it depends on who issues the guarantee.
An important part of counseling at any level, for whatever the need may be, is trust. Often, what builds trust is when we know a person identifies with our situation and knows what we're going through.
Peer counseling in self-help groups, even with Christian fellowship, can be reassuring because of shared experiences in life.
In matters of faith, we also need to have similar assurances. This is an important reason for Jesus, God's Son, becoming human to live among us.
Long ago King Solomon declared with a sigh, " There is nothing new under the sun" (Eccl 1:9). Centuries later, William Shakespeare echoed this conclusion.
And yet, change itself seems constant and continual. Sure, new discoveries are made, but these often reveal what already was. New inventions bring change, yet the nature of people hasn't changed, nor the necessities and priorities of daily life.
Continuous changes around us tend to distract us from the one constancy all people rely on more than anyone realizes.
