This morning I attended a small breakfast meeting with a local investment advisor who does a call-in radio show here in Indianapolis. It was an intimate setting to discuss the economy and investments and though I wasn't really looking forward to it given our current economy, I found it fascinating. I happened to be there because this is a local service organization I am a member of, not because I have any major investments to worry about (not that this stops me from fretting a bit over the ones I do have).

It is amazing how much more understandable a creative mind can make economics and investments when they have a near endless supply of condiment packs, jelly packets and silverware to demonstrate how our economic system works. When you see Equal packets tipping a spoon balanced on a finger like a see-saw to demonstrate how money poured into the economy by the treasury affects interest rates it tends to stick in your mind more than simply hearing someone talk about things that you would rather not focus on anyway. He lamented the fact that he can't demonstrate like this over the radio. By the end of the meeting it looked like a grocery store had exploded on the table.

Not too suprisingly, many of the projections I heard were not positive for the short-term. As this man shared how he believes we are heading into a depression that will be the economic low point for this generation I was pleasantly suprised that he used this analysis to recommend that those present focus their attention on their relationship with Christ rather than worrying so much about their investment portfolios, because no one really knows how we should currently be apportioning our savings between stocks, bonds, cash and hard assets. There are no guarantees in our economy - ever, and especially not now.

How on target our speaker is! We really have no idea where we are headed in our world/life situation and things that have been sound in the past may not be so tomorrow - or even today, because we never know what the next moment will bring...tragedy, triumph or the return of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. It really doesn't matter how much we have because it may not be there tomorrow; we need to trust fully in Christ to be our provider because in the things that matter most, He will not let us down.

Yes, we may experience discomfort, hunger and "need" that we are't used to...but in the eternal picture of what our life is to be these aren't the critical elements of our existance, our relationship with Him is. Knowing this I still struggle with trust like I am sure most of you do, but I am glad to know that the more I focus on Him, the more the things of this world fade in significance and their ability to generate anxiety in our lives.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." - Helen H. Lemmel

Trusting in Him is the only sure investment that we can make.

Brad