God Is Unchanging

Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
The ancient philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus once said, ‘No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.’ Heraclitus was reminding us that everything and everyone is always changing. People, countries, landscapes, weather, and even pets, are always changing. We might not always see the change on a day to day basis, but there is always change happening. Recently, I just saw a few of our students in person for the first time since the beginning of Covid, and I could hardly recognize some of them! They grew taller, gained weight, grew their hair out, and a couple of them had much deeper voices! Those were fun changes to see. Though as we all know, not all change is fun or good. Many times, change can be difficult. Nearly all of us have experienced deep loss, or at least know someone who has experienced difficult change this year. So how should we respond? How are we to survive and even thrive in an ever-changing world?
 
We do so by keeping our eyes fixed on an unchanging God, the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. A God who doesn’t love us based on our performance or our ability to love Him or serve him in return. God’s love for us doesn’t change, even though our love may. We attend weddings we may hear the famous love passage read from 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter is filled with what true love looks like. The chapter is full of always and nevers. Love always protects, it always trusts, it always hopes, and it always perseveres. Love also never envies, it never boasts, and it’s never self-seeking. We know that there aren’t any of those always or nevers that can be done 100% of the time. My love for my wife changes often, because by nature I am self-seeking. Yet the amazing thing is God’s love for us does not change. His always and nevers are always true and never change. Even if we sin against him, his love never changes. Think about that for second. The same ones who chanted ‘Hosana’ were the ones who chanted ‘Crucify him!’, just days later. Yet God’s love didn’t change. ‘Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 8:39)
 
So, what does that mean for us? What does it mean that God never changes? It means we don’t have to perform today to earn God’s love. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do that will make God love you less. He loves you exactly where you are right now, not a future person of you nor a past person of you. He loves you for who you are right now.
 
Knowing God’s love for us is unchanging offers us a place to stand in a world that is constantly changing. ‘Even though the earth gives way and the mountains tremble, God is our refuge, our safe place to hide, and our rock to stand on.’ (Psalm 46:2) Stand on him today and embrace an unchanging God in an ever-changing world!
 
Questions for reflection:
  1.  What is an area of your life that is changing? Submit that area to God right now in prayer and ask him to help you trust him.
  2.  What are ways to remind yourself of God’s unchanging love for you today?
Jay Quick | Student Ministries Director