What a comfort! Even on my best days, you can’t count on me. I may have been a help or encouragement to you last week, but this week I might only pull you down. That’s on a good day. Catch me at my worst, and you may never want to speak to me again! Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t have bad days? He doesn’t wake up with a headache some mornings and bite your head off when you ask Him a question. In your time of need, you’ll never find that He’s sleepy or unwilling to help. Instead, you’ll always find Him to be a “very present help in trouble.” (Ps 46:1) God alone can say things like, “I am with you always (Mt 28:20),” or “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Heb 13:5) Why? Because He doesn’t change!
I’ve tried to teach my children this truth. I’d like to be able to tell my kids that I’ll always be there for them, but the truth is I can’t count on myself to keep such a promise. I’m finite. One day I’ll be dead and gone. On top of that, I’m flesh, and I still struggle with sin. As much as I love them and want to be there for them, I am going to fail them at times. Because of inability, self-centeredness, poor judgment, stress–in other words, because I am human–I’m going to let them down. God never will! All that hope in Him will find Ps 125:1,2 to be true: “They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.”
The thoughts this week were prompted by a statement within Ken Boa’s list of forty principles and values on page 251 of Conformed To His Image. We left off last week on #28 which contains the following statement: “A willingness to cling to God’s character in the midst of life’s pains and pleasures.” We can cling to God’s character because we can always count on Him to stay true to it! He won’t be any different tomorrow, next week, or next year. In fact, He will stay the same throughout all eternity. You can take Him at His word. He won’t change His mind. When God says He’s going to do something, you can be sure that He will because “He is faithful that promised.” (Heb 10:23)
Are you overwhelmed? Do you feel like the enemies, whether outside or inside, are too great? “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut 31:6) Are you depressed because one person after another has hurt you or let you down? “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Ps 42:11) Do you find these to be unstable and uncertain times? Are you afraid you’ll wake up tomorrow and the world as you know it will be no more? “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” (Is 51:6) I can assure you that one day you will wake up to a different world. The life we now live will not last. Everything will change, but I can point you to a sure Foundatin, a Rock that will last throughout the ages. He is “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb 13:8)
“If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31)
Jamie