A good government will do a lot for the citizens.

And even more, good parents will do a lot for their children, who in such a sense enjoy special privileges.

These pictures are weak compared to what God does for his people. And everybody is invited to join and to enjoy those special privileges.

What is your philosophy of life?

Do you only believe in yourself and in the things that you have under control, your own accomplishments?

What do we do amongst all the challenges, difficulties and threats in the world?

What do we do if we have too many tasks but not enough time to do it all?

Whom would you like to talk to most?

To a famous person, a president or a minister? To other authorities or influential persons?

Or would you like to get into a conversation with a person whom you have fallen in love with but did not have a chance to tell yet?

Amidst all the challenges, darkness and difficulties that surround us – is it possible to have a deep inner joy in the heart?

In order to elaborate on that question, in our modern times there are many kinds of teachings and seminars, some of them are very expensive.

What really counts and gives us true joy cannot be paid for by money. True hope and a fulfilled life can be found in the Good News.

Who gets favor from whom?

Can we bring our requests to God? Does God have time for our small daily needs? Is God not busy with other things?

Jesus was on his way, yet he stopped for a beggar along the road. God cares for every individual soul. He listens to all of us, no matter how big or small our requests are.

God gives us many opportunities to turn to him all throughout our life, in fact continuously every minute as long as we live we have that great undeserved offer of his mercy.

All too many times we have other priorities, we reject that opportunity and instead keep us busy with other kinds of things.

How do you decide today?

How much hatred and aggression is there in the world?

By the time of Jesus, the soldiers made a crown of thorns.

Yet bigger than all the hatred and aggression of people is the mercy of God.

"If only ..." - do you use that phase?

Going the way from “if only …” towards “readily available, all done” leads us from unrest towards peace.

We can find that in Jesus.