For
I am the Lord, I change not...
Malachi 3:6a
Malachi 3:6a
Anyone
who knows me knows that I hate change. There are times I don't like
changing channels on the TV and may not like changing sheets on a
bed. I don't like changing lanes on a highway nor changing the
supper menu at the last minute. Changing clothes in the middle of
the day ranks with changing jobs or locations. I just don't like
change even though it has been one of God's key instruments in my
life ...yes...for change.
There
are changes that come into our lives that change everything in our
comfortable settings. A new baby in the family changes things as
does the next and the next. A wedding in he family changes a lot of
things for us. For instance, I have a sweet, dear friend. She's a
very special lady in my eyes. I met her a few years ago while
working on a committee together. She is the wife of a pastor of a
small, loving church. She is one of those people who jumps in with
all fours to do anything that needs done and no job is too menial for
her. There isn't a lazy bone in this lady's body. She also is a
gifted teacher of women and Bible study leader. In recent days she
has seen to the details of her only daughter's wedding. I can attest
to the fact that such an event can drain a mom in so many ways even
though the occasion is a joyous one.
Not
too long ago, she mentioned on Face book that her husband has
accepted a new pastorate in West Texas so a move is imminent for her
in coming weeks. She keeps her smile, trust in her dear hubby and
yes, in the Lord knowing He does all things well and will bring her
through all of the emotional highs and lows she is presently going
through. This will be a huge emotional change for her as well as
change of location. I don't know of anyone who I believe can handle
it any better than this dear friend. Why?...because in it all, I see
her focus being on Jesus when it should be for her and for us all
Change
is never a real positive thing for women. We like our comfortable
lives and surroundings. We like to keep our children and friends
close. We like the feel and smells of our comfy homes. We even like
our doctors, grocery stores, and other establishments we've gotten so
used to. Most of all, we dearly love our church family and the ties
there, especially for a woman who teaches other women the Word of
God. During a recent trip to Texas, I got to return to the church we
left to come to Tennessee. I was shocked at all of the friends who
greeted me...some I had sat with in the choir, some I taught in
Sunday school, others I taught in a home Bible study and then there
was a general assortment of friends. I hadn't been back in four
years. I must admit to you that after leaving, I found some privacy
in a bathroom and wept. No one but teachers will ever understand the
heart a teacher has for those she has shared the Word of God with in
classes of various types.
I
look at Scripture and find three ladies who really knew change in
their lives. There are many but these three come to mind....Sarai,
Esther and Ruth. Sarai's husband walked in one day to announced they
were moving. He didn't have a lot of details about the move, only
that the God he didn't really know had given him the instructions.
The average wife about that time would probably have told him to go
take a nap and try again. She didn't and went along with it. So
much would have been missed if she hadn't. You see, we don't see
down the road to what God sees and how His plan to change things
could change a world.
Think
of Esther...a young Jewish woman rounded up with a lot of other young
women because the king was looking for a new queen. Talk about
change...instead of the usual chores, she found herself bathing in a
bubble bath, being anointed with precious oils and being attended by
all sorts of maids. It doesn't appear she really wanted to be there
and her presence was a mystery to her. Unknown to her was the fact
that she would play a vital part as new queen in saving her own
people. She could never have guessed what such a drastic change in
her life would bring about.
Ruth
is another young woman, a Moabite who had married to a son of Naomi.
However, Naomi's husband and sons died leaving her with two daughters
in love. One decided to say in Moab, but Ruth decided to go back to
Naomi's homeland...a strange young lady in a strange land. But we
see how God used her in the lineage that produced the Messiah. I'm
not sure it could ever have dawned on her until Heaven what that
change in her life brought about.
There
is a major change that occurred in Scripture that we don't really
know much about except for the result of that change. I can't
imagine that change Jesus went through leaving Heaven to come to
earth. Talk about a change.... Oh we hear of, read and sing about
Jesus coming to earth, but I have to wonder when Jesus' Father
perhaps said, “it's time for You to go,” the change He went
through for us. None of us have experienced a change like Jesus had
to endure. He came from perfection, glory and His Father's presence
in that place to come to the dirt, grime, sin and problems of earth.
Such changes I can't comprehend, but one thing I do know...He did it
for me.
There
is another really big change that is yet to occur. That change will
be when all we Christians will be changed upon the second coming of
Jesus to receive us to Himself. There is no other change that will
be able to top that one. It will be a change that we don't mind in
the least.
Behold,
I shew you a mystery; we shall not
all sleep, but we shall be changed
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we all all be changed.
I Corinthians 15:51-52
all sleep, but we shall be changed
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we all all be changed.
I Corinthians 15:51-52
As
much as I have disliked changes that have come about in my
life...large and small...I have found that wherever a change takes
me, God meets me right there in that place, at that time. You see,
He's everywhere in all of our life events. He can be trusted with
those changes that tend to make us the most uncomfortable and there
we meet up with His comfort
My
Father, You never forsake us. You always meet us where we are no
matter the events of our lives. Thank You for loving us so much that
You choose what is best for us even if we don't understand the
reasons. Keep us trusting you in the dullness of dailies or the
challenges of change. We love you. In Jesus' name....Amen