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.

"  Depending on our church background and experience we may have different views or understandings of what constitutes holiness. Thus, it seems we should begin with defining the term holiness before relating it to prayer.

      In my experience holiness was generally presented as related to behaviour, a list of do’s and don’ts. While there are do’s and don’ts in scripture, our behaviour is to flow from our heart attitudes.