Got Any Change?

It has been said that the only thing certain in life is that things are going to change.  If I could change (haha!) that old adage, I would have it include God.  All else does change, while God in his nature and what He has said remains the same. 

When I was a teenager, after being out with a friend one night, I remember walking into our living room and being disturbed by the arrangement of our furniture.  My mom took the liberty to rearrange our couches, chairs, and end tables (how dare she!) and this greatly bothered me—so much that I verbally told her she couldn’t just reorganize our house whenever she wanted.  I don’t remember the rest of the conversation, but I can’t imagine it went all that well.  What I do remember was coming to the realization that I don’t like change.  And I’m really not all that alone in this. 

Change takes place all the time.  Think about all the changes that occur during the teenage years—physical growth, intellectual development, emotional maturity, and gained freedom just to name a few.  Other changes are sometimes subtle—opinions, music preferences, and what tastes good to you!  And how about this one?  Do you realize that the average American worker stays at his or her job for 4.4 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics in case you’re curious!).  If you do the math that equals approximately 10 different jobs between college and retirement.  That’s a lot of change!   

I’m so thankful that with so much in constant flux, God remains the same.  While God may deal differently with people or may allow for different methods to be used, His nature remains the same and will never be altered.  God tells us plain and simple that He does not change (Mal. 3:6).  Psalm 102:25-26 tells us that the earth will wear out just as clothing wears out, but God remains.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus Christ, who is God, is the same yesterday, today and forever. (13:8).  And James 1:17 tells us our heavenly Father does not change like shadows do.   

My wife asked me why I would choose to write about change.  My response was there have been a few small changes recently (a great summer intern just headed back to college and a couple of the junior high youth staff recently moved away).  In your lifetime you will see change.  Only God knows the changes that lie ahead for you.  But He can be trusted because the same God who made promises in His Word a couple thousand years ago is faithfully remaining…...the same.

Thinking About Tomorrow

If we were to look back at the last 100 years of church history in the USA we’d realize that a lot has changed.  Some of those changes have been good; many, not so good.  Most believers would agree that morality in America has been on a steady decline and it seems that with every step of decline society takes, the church follows right behind.  I’m waiting for the day when Christians wake up and say, “Hold on, enough is enough!  How did we ever get here?” 

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but I am optimistic as I look ahead.  Despite the spiritual decline we see in America, I am excited that true believers will stand out all the more.  You see it is “easy” to be a Christian in a “Christian nation,” but not so easy when a nation is intolerant of Christianity.   The farther society wanders from the truths of God’s Word, the more believers will expose how different they are from the world.  I believe it will only become increasingly more difficult to ride the fence and disguise our faith if we are going to truly follow the Lord.  This is what excites me because this is what Jesus intended all along for His church!  

So as we look to the future, I believe there is hope for the church.  The church may shrink in numbers, but it will only evidence who the true church really is.  My desire is that the body of Christ will realize how vain it is to try to blend with society.  I desire  to see Christians take a stronger stand for Christ.  I desire to see Christians excited to understand the relevance of the Bible and attend church with fellow Christians, not because it’s “the right thing to do,” but because they realize they need it!  I desire the church becomes confident that the world really has nothing that will satisfy the longings of the soul. I believe this is possible for the church of the 21^st century.  In countries where Christians are persecuted the most we find some with the strongest, most authentic faith.  The church is growing in parts of the world today and it seems to be in places where society is intolerant of Christianity.  God may use the spiritual crumbling of a nation to wake the church up.   

In America’s past, much of society looked to the church and God’s Word for direction.  Those days seem to be gone.  As we move into the future we must consider the cost and then unashamedly identify ourselves with Jesus.  A church like that will be worth being part of.  A church like that will, despite ridicule, be attractive.  A church like that will evidence that their focus really is on Christ, the true head of the church.  A church like that has a reward in heaven awaiting them.  I want to be part of that church, don’t you!