We live in a throw-away society - people would rather make a
change for something new than put work into maintaining what they already have.
Advertising, media and technology have brainwashed us into believing that 'off
with the old, on with the new' is the happiest, most efficient way to live. It's
an especially poisonous philosophy when people apply it to their relationships
and their faith. As soon as problems arise, many are quick to question their
commitments and turn their backs on God, believing that any change they pursue
will doubtless lead to improvement and greater happiness. No wonder then, with
so much change going on around us constantly, it can be incredibly difficult to
fathom a God who is unchanging. Psalm 102:25-27 says "of
old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your
hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like
a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You
are the same, and Your years will have no end." Wow... how do we love,
and inspire others to love, such an eternal Being as that? With so many new
ideas coming at us all the time, and knowing that people embrace them believing
they have as much validity as the values that society has held for centuries, how
do we as Christians sort through it all in order to demonstrate a timeless
message in a timely way?
Here are a few thoughts I have:
Remember that God sees the beginning, the middle and the
end. He knows each of us inside out and can see the best path for us to
take! People are often reluctant to give up control until they come to a place
that is beyond their control. Psalm 33:11 says "the counsel of the Lord
stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." There is
great comfort in reflecting on the fact that God was there at your birth,
already knows tomorrow and therefore asks for you to trust Him today.
Understand the difference between change and improvement.
Improvement always involves change, but change isn't always improvement. Adam
and Eve first sinned because they desired knowledge more than obedience to God,
and that thirst for societal 'improvement' apart from God continues to this
day. A perfect, unchanging God has given us rules to govern our lives by, and
we must choose to maintain that moral compass in order to properly discern what
'improvement' truly looks like. The story of the prodigal son can be found in
Luke 15:11-24. The younger son didn't know how good he had it until he lost it
all; he didn't realize that 'change' could be bad. God often allows us to rebel
and go our own way in order to help us see the value of the life we had with
Him. He then patiently waits for us to
return.
Put a higher value on preventative maintenance.
Something of enduring value, whether it is a relationship, the environment, or
your health, needs to be cared for or else it will disintegrate. It can't be
treated like an iPad; you can't upgrade when your old one burns out. God has
given us the task of stewardship - so how much time are we investing in the
cultivation of what's most important? May God give us the wisdom we need to
fulfill this high calling in spite of what society says. After all, buying into
the throw-away mindset only means that in the end, you'll have nothing left to
throw away.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,
and forever." Hebrews 13:8
Ruth-Ellen W.
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