5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:5-8
For whatever reason, it always seems like September is a month of change. Perhaps it is because it signals the end of summer with the beginning of a new school year and the end of the Minnesota State Fair. Maybe it is because it marks the changing of the seasons: the weather will go from hot to cold and the trees will begin to change colors. It could be because schedules change: people come home from the lake cabin, football begins while baseball ends, and people transition from the “play mode” of the summer to the “work mode” of the fall and winter. As I write this devotion, it comes just a few hours after dropping off Mia for her first day of first grade.
Change is a part of life, whether we like it or not. Our circumstances change, our health changes, our income, homes, relationships, schedules, hobbies, personalities, temperament, appetites, tastes, preferences, values, understanding, and beliefs change. Did I forget anything? We also see these same changes in loved ones and people close to us in our lives. Change is normal.
And these changes aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, change can be good. It can be a good thing for us and our loved ones when new opportunities arise, personal growth occurs, or when something different dawns on the horizon. Sometimes, change can be bad. Disease, broken relationships, and aging can take their toll and have their negative effects. Often, though, change can be unsettling. It disrupts the status quo. It shakes what we depend and rely on. It reshapes our lives and relationships. Sometimes, change is just…different.
In the face of any change, the author of Hebrews gives us the simple reminder: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” People grow up. People get old. People move. People die. People leave. People mature. People become broken. People become consumed. People make bad decisions. In other words, people change.
In the midst of such change, One stays the same: Jesus Christ our Lord. He is always loving, faithful, and forgiving. He is always loyal, reigning, good, and working all things for our good. No matter who changes, us or others in our lives, He stays the same. No matter what changes, He remains the same.
What a joy and relief that is. Our Savior will still be the same loving, faithful, forgiving, loyal and reigning Lord we know Him to be. And it isn’t just yesterday. And it isn’t just for today. It is for tomorrow, too.
The words from one of my favorite hymns sums up our lives and hope well: “Change and decay in all around I see. O Thou Who changest not, abide with me.” Indeed, He will. The author of Hebrews tells us that He will: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This, too, will never change. Pastor Nick Kooi
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XXVI No. 2 – September 2024.)