Change...a hard word

Ephesians 2:4-7
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-- by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Change...  A word with only six letters but a word with dozens of meanings and implications.
     Change is constant, inevitable, illusive, desired or dreaded.
           Change can grow us, stretch us, disturb us, threaten us,
                 while at the same time bringing us happiness and peace..

But one thing for sure, change will never leave us the same as we were before.

Someone pointed out that if there was never change there would be no butterflies, a sad world indeed.

You see God planned every change that has come into our lives...every single one of them and he has a purpose for them.
       The changes we liked, prayed for, enjoyed
               AND the ones we didn't want,
                    Even the ones we thought were of no purpose or good.

The summer of 2012 can be described by the word change.

The fire changed many of our worlds for several weeks, for some, life will never be the same.

The fire and the shootings in Aurora brought a knowledge once again that life could change in a moment...we are much less in control than we had thought before...in a sense innocence was lost for many as they faced evil head on.

Many of us had changes in our families...according to Facebook,
  some moved to new locations,
    some have new jobs or even no job,
      babies were born,
        five-year-olds began kindergarden,
          high school graduates left the security of home,
                 some of us had sons/daughters get married,
                           others are facing difficult health issues that will definitely    
                              change life patterns.
   Indeed, life brings change.

Through the years, some have said:
"I just never thought this would happen to me..."
    "I didn't think God would do this to me..."
         "My dreams have disappeared..."
                 "Why did this have to happen now?"
                         "This certainly wasn't something I planned on happening."


So why does God, in his wisdom bring change into our lives?
    Why does he mix things up?
          Why does he take us out of our comfort zone?
                 Why does he send circumstances that bring tears?
                       Why does he lead us to the point we want to give up?

Truth is, these questions are not always answered.
Someone once said that instead of asking "Why?", we need to ask "WHO?"  The who in the equation of change is God,
 --the God who causes all things to work together for the good.
 --the God who made a promise to Abram centuries ago that ALL the nations of the earth would be blessed.
--the God who fulfilled that promise by sending his Son to die for our sins, our failure to keep that covenant.
 --the God who sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit to dwell in us teaching us, praying to the Father for us, crying to our "Abba, Father" for us when we are in fear or in pain--our comforter.

--the God who gives us hope-- is preparing a place for us in heaven where we will spend all of eternity with him. Eternity....forever....no tears....no pain....no fear...no sin....no evil....no loss....no death.

Thank you, God, for your reminders of your presence and work in our lives through your Word and through the graces you abundantly shower on us.

Psalm 145:13-14 "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.  The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."




   

Isaiah 51:6 "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".

Romans 12:12 "Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer."

John 16:33 (AMPLIFIED version) "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"

Psalm 62:5-6 "Find rest. O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."




Hebrews 13:8 "NKJV "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."



2 Corinthians 6:4 NKJV "In all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God . . . as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

Romans 5:3-5 "We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. "




God bless you as you trust Him in the changes of your life, knowing that He brought those changes for good, for the building up of His people in truth.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.

It dos not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8