FROM THE EDITORS November 28, 2005 Issue

CERTAINTY IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

PEOPLE JUST NEED a break. To say we live in uncertain times not only sounds clichéd; it's an understatement. Hurricanes, war, political turmoil, skyrocketing oil prices, terrorist bombings throughout the world. No wonder mega-churches in the United States bring in thousands of people at each service. Call-in talk shows on the radio counsel people on everything from personal relationships to investment advice to whom to vote for.

But what people need is comfort and a sense of security. And not just adults. Recently a group of clergy met in Boston to talk about ways to serve the youth in the city. And one of the comments that struck a deep chord was that young people today don't count on living a full life—it's not unusual for young people from every social and economic class to say that they don't believe they have a future.

That's a tragedy. Because everyone has the right to feel safe and confident—positively hopeful—that the best is always in store for them. Having that confidence doesn't rest on pie-in-the-sky optimism, but rather derives from a solid foundation of spiritual truth. This truth, promised and demonstrated over and over again in the Bible, is that the controlling force of the universe, God, never abandons His children. And that each one of us was created to have a life of value and purpose. It's a divine right.

Send a comment to the editors

This is the end of the issue. Ready to explore further?

Online features Audio