Changeless

Yesterday I sat for nearly an hour listening to a woman in a wheelchair, suffering from terminal bone cancer, tell me about her problems through her tears.  When she had finished unpacking her burden, I looked her in the eyes and said, "I know two things about your problems: They don't weigh much and they won't last long - not in comparison to the glory Christ has in store for you."  I told her I was sure of that because it was precisely what the apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:17 when he talkedd about our "light and momentary troubles acheiving us eternal glory."

I also reminded her of all the problems she had faced earlier in life and how quickly they had passed by, that even life itself was moving and changing at breakneck speed.  In fact, life is a steady stream of one change after another that comes and goes in very short order.  I often tell patients that change is the one thing they can be sure of in this world.  No matter what your situation, however good or bad, it isn't going to stay that way - change is coming.  So, if things are going good, don't get smug.  If things are gong bad, don't get depressed.

You may or may not like the change but that hardly matters, change is coming.  It is perhaps the most dependable thing this life has to offer.  If you don't think so, just look around.  Start by looking in the mirror.  I have a hard time with that because there is some crazy gray-haired old coot who keeps standing in front of me when I try to look in the mirror (actually that would be me).  You may have noticed a different look coming back at you as well.  Look at your kids who may have kids of their own already.  Look at your shoes - oh, sorry.  I didn't mean to rub in the fact that some haven't seen their feet in a while due to a change just above their belt line.  And, of course, many of us can't even see our reflection clearly without our glasses on.  Yes, Virginia, times are a changing.

Everything changes except for God "who does not change" (Ps 55:19).  Our Lord "is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb 13:8).  Unlike mankind and the world around us, God "does not change like shifting shadows" (Js 1:17).  People are not ultimately dependable, they change their minds, they change their attittudes, they change their address, they change their jobs and changes come upon them they have no control over.  Your car won't keep running forever, your roof will eventually leak, your doorbell will stop ringing, your dog will die and your child will go off to college (some say that is when life really begins - after the dog dies and the last child goes off to college).  Apart from God everything changes, even you.

But God - God stays the same and therefore can be counted on regardless of the shifting winds or currents of life.  No matter who turns away from you, God "will never leave you as orphaned" (Jn 14:18).  No matter what in life pulls the rug out from under you, "Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm" (2 Tim 2:19).  In a world of constant changes, God is changeless.  In Him you can place your trust and take your stand now and forever.  Jus' Sayn.