“Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
In many ways much happened since I last put pen to
paper. Summer flew by in a beautiful
blur of sunny days spent in several places—a few even at home. I caught up with friends and spent time with
family. I tackled at least one item on
my list of long-awaiting projects and started preparing for a new year at
school. My oldest daughter moved away to
college. Her bedroom now lies empty and
quiet and her chair at the table is inhabited by a large stuffed penguin wearing
her favorite shirt. My other two offspring
somehow morphed from freshman and sophomore into sophomore and junior, and
while the start of a new sports season and school semester has thrust us all into
a renewed flurry of scheduled activities and demanding assignments, I am more
keen than ever to the reality that these precious days are numbered and should
be fully cherished. I know I live in a
season of life where times are quickly changing, and sometimes I feel quite out
of control.
Actually I am, and honestly that’s okay because God is
not. The One who does not change is
still supremely sovereign. There is
never a moment when He is flustered, frenzied, or frantic. There is never a day when He is rushed or
feels regret. He never wrings His hands wondering
how events will unfold, and He never worries that He will forget something
urgent or important. God is absolutely
and infinitely in complete control, and none of our glowing successes or
glaring failures will alter His eternal purpose or endless power.
Whether our days seem different with each sunrise or our
weeks could be swapped with barely a wrinkle, the enormous fact that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,
and forever” (Heb 13:8) calms all hearts and soothes all souls. It also brings great delight, for such truth
means that God’s still good for every promise He’s ever made and still true to
ever word He’s ever spoken.
One of those powerful promises crossed my path through today’s
Sunday School lesson, and it was just what this mama whose heart is now in two
places needed to hear. Jude, the
half-brother of Jesus who knew Him longer and better than almost all others on
earth, ended his short but super epistle with this inspiring doxology: “To
him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious
presence without fault and with great joy—to this only God our Savior be glory,
majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages,
now and forevermore! Amen”(Jude 1:24).
All God’s children are kept in God’s love by God’s grace,
and though we may fall down, we will never fall off. He is the One who has caught us and He is the
One who will keep us—safe in His hand and close to His heart. He will do this during all our days on earth
and throughout our eternity in heaven where He will proudly show us off as
trophies of His grace, “without fault”
totally because of His righteousness and “with
great joy” entirely because of His mercy. The One who is able to do this
and who is doing this right now as I write and right now as you read is utterly
deserving of our deepest praise and endless worship. He is our God. He is our Savior. He is our Jesus who was “before all ages” and who will ever be beyond our wildest
imagination or greatest expectation.
Great is His faithfulness through the change
and in the same—now and forevermore!!
Amen and Amen.
