We need to hear both Jesus’ voice and His heart. Doing that requires a particular posture of our own hearts. A verse that is dear to me is Proverbs 16:1.

The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. -Proverbs 16:1(NKJV)

Most translations have the word ‘plan’ rather than ‘preparations.’ Yet the Hebrew word means to arrange or set up, thus I think preparations is the better translation. Imagine inviting someone over for dinner. My wife prioritizes having everything ready before guests arrive, which means I need to have the same focus. So, there is a plan for the meal but most of the work is preparing more than planning. The table is set, the house is cleaned, and the food is ready, everything is prepared.

Imagine for a moment what it would have been like just before Jesus’ birth. The Israelites were eagerly awaiting the Messiah—a promised ruler who would establish a righteous and eternal kingdom. Under Roman occupation, they faced major oppression: heavy taxation, harsh governance, and limited autonomy. At the same time, religious corruption and legalism among the Pharisees and Sadducees fuelled a desperate cry for a spiritual leader who could bring reform and fulfill the Law. They longed for a saviour to right the injustice—a Messiah who would bring peace, deliverance, equality, and fairness to all.

It seems that at almost every turn there are major world events that are creating a sense of unrest and uncertainty in people, whether it be the ongoing war in Ukraine or in the Middle East, or the upcoming American election or the constant economic pressures in the world. Similar situations have been a reality in almost every generation, and yet people today are struggling with a particular sense of anxiety over where the world is heading.

What I would like to do in this post is reflect on the unexpected way in which the characteristic of God’s omniscience can actually help us connect to the peace of Christ and enable us to be, in the words of author Mark Sayers, ‘a non-anxious presence’ in the world.