Unchanging Love

I just came in from raking leaves. As I worked alongside my dad to clean up the yard, we paused as we felt small snowflakes hit our faces. I quickly realized that, though raking leaves is an activity which screams "Autumn!", this season of beautiful leaves, pumpkins, and fall jackets is already on its way out, and winter is pushing its way in.

This got me thinking about change, and how we can't escape it. Nature illustrates the concept of continual change in the seasons: spring turns to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter. Always. No matter how often we wish the summer could last just one more week, or that we could skip winter altogether, time marches on and the seasons turn anyway.

Lately I have found myself dismayed by change-even afraid of it. I spend much of my time daydreaming that things could be how they once were. But as I watched the snowflakes drift down towards my pile of neatly raked leaves, I realized that change is a part of life. In fact, life is really just a series of changes. Not all change is bad, but even the changes that seem scary and overwhelming should not hold the power to strike fear into our souls, because the Lord we serve is unchanging:

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (Psalm 90:2)

Addressing the Israelites in his old age, Moses reminded his beloved people of the unchanging goodness of God:

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Things change, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse, but God does not. God was God before time began, and will continue to be God long after it ends. Likewise, His love for us will never change. 1 John 4:8 says "God is love." The unchanging nature of God (His identity)is so wrapped up with love as to be inseparable. As long as God is God, He will love us with His perfect and redeeming love.

So, as things change in our lives (and they will), let us find comfort and hope in the fact that we lean on One who never changes. Hope in the person of Christ whose redeeming work on the cross cannot be changed and stands forever. Hebrews discusses the hope we have in the promises of the Lord, promises that are to be an unchanging foundation and anchor for our lives:

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:19)

In the midst of the storms and swells of change, Christ holds us fast. Praise be to the anchor of our souls!