Tears streamed down the young man’s face as he beat himself with a whip because of his own sin. In another part of the world, an old, wrinkled lady knelt before an image and offered all of the money she possessed. Meanwhile, an elderly man walked down a long, dusty road on a pilgrimage to the sacred city before he died.

At the same time, a young lady knelt before the holy statue and prayed for mercy before her confession to a black-robed priest. In an adjoining country, prayers resounded across the city as hundreds prostrated themselves on the ground.

On a continent across the world, a well-dressed man and woman and their two young children passed out soup to the poor. Across the street an unmarried couple consumed alcohol and fed lustful appetites of the flesh.

The beating of drums grew louder and louder as blood and water were thrown on a young boy possessed with demons. In a room in a distant land, a father crossed his legs and sought for peace and tranquility in meditation.

In another country, smoke rose from the burning of the sacrifices offered to appease the gods and bring peace. Thousands of miles away a girl walked down the aisle of a church to shake the hand of the preacher. While these people are in different countries and have a diversity of beliefs and practices, they have one thing in common. They are seeking peace, happiness, fulfillment, and eternal life.

People are looking to themselves, to good works, to fleshly pleasure, to priests, to prophets, to preachers, to sacrifices, to mass, to church, to creeds, etc. in an attempt to fill the void that is in their spirit. They seek salvation and many don’t even know that for which their hearts long.

Salvation is found in no other save in Jesus and Him crucified. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

People can search the world over and sacrifice many things, but all of the searching for fulfillment will be in vain until they call on the name of Jesus Christ – the Son of the Living God.

-mws