The year of our Lord 2020 has taken everyone on a whirlwind roller coaster ride. Tragedies, while always having been commonplace, seem to have exponentially increased.

The passing of Kobe Bryant shook basketball fans and others worldwide.

The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd sparked a revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement and COVID-19 infected millions with no end in sight.

As more incidents seem to occur and unrest grows, one reminder I want to bestow on the ACU community is this: do not lose sight of Jesus among the chaos. While I am sure this is a generic statement many pastors are saying to their congregations currently, I mean this with intensity.

Times like these mean Christians, while fighting for important issues in a Godly way, need to be seeking God more than ever.

Consistent prayer, daily devotionals and weekly worship sessions are just some things to keep the mind focused on Christ and oneself attentive to the Holy Spirit’s voice.

As people, we get passionate about topics and issues, especially when they tend to be trendy.

As Christians, we often associate are own morals and opinions about issues with God, and why shouldn’t we?

If we believe in God, subsequently our morals should match His, right?

While in many cases this is so, the first sign of associating God with our own beliefs about an issue usually means we’ve already lost sight of Him.

We disguise our beliefs as His beliefs, and we don’t even know it.

So my challenge to anyone is to step into His presence. The Bible is a living and breathing Word with many answers to many of our questions, yet it also instructs us to seek Him.

God is not just a reference, but a being we can communicate with, who we can have a personal relationship with. His words are not only present through text, but as a voice as well.

When you feel the need the to say, “Jesus would have said/done ___,” ask Him yourself. When the weight of the world seems too over-bearing, just listen to Him as you read, worship or pray.