Today, after having written and posted my first blog, I had the opportunity to live out the very statement that I blogged about yesterday. God, Whose character is unchanging and Whose ways are unpredictable- intervened in my already well ordered and planned out day. His work in my life today just did not fit into what I had planned!
Sad to report, I failed miserably at accepting His order of this day. I must confess, I had an adult temper tantrum. Here it is, two days before Christmas and I had SO much to do! Yet did I immediately remember that God is good? Did I quickly recall that His character is unchanging or did I rail against the unfortunate circumstances that left me stranded not being able to do what I thought was so necessary to do?
So again, I write and remind myself and hopefully encourage you, that God's character is unchanging. Though my plans for this day were like a vapor, God is still God. He is still good. His plans for me are for good. His character this day is the same as His character was yesterday and the day before and from the beginning. His character will be the same tomorrow and forever. Today, my plans, my circumstances changed. It was certainly unpredictable. Yet I know Whom I serve. He loves me and has plans for me this day.
Now that I have allowed to have my spirit and my heart calmed, I must go about what God has for me for this day. It may be blogging a bit more later or it may mean this blog, in it's brevity, is it for the day. I look forward to some extended quiet time and then perhaps some outdoor time with my horses. The next few hours are unpredictable as God goes about His work. But I know as He does, He is kind, and good and loving.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
God-Whose Character is Unchanging
The Lord has been so faithful to see me through so many changes. He works on my heart and my mind and draws me close to Him as He conforms me in the image of His Son. This past year has been one of pruning and growing. Also a time of just being still and learning of Him through His Word and with more time with Him.
I've enjoyed a terrific study of God's Word with the text being primarily from Exodus. The Bible teacher made a statement about God that I've been reflecting upon even since. She said,"God's character is unchanging but His works (His activity) is unpredictable." This reminded me of the Children in Narnia asking the Beaver husband and wife about Aslan. They asked if he was safe. The Beavers replied with something like-He is not safe, but He is kind. This is a description of our Lord. God is unpredictable. He will not be put into a box that we can predict His works. Yet, God is kind.
For the Christian, this statement, "God's character is unchanging but His works are unpredictable" or as the Beavers said-"He is not safe, but he is kind" gives peace for we serve and love God Who is unchanging. Everything we learn about Him from His Word, is the same forever. God is not "safe" but He is kind. God is unpredictable in His Works, but He is unchanging in His character.
God's Word tells us that He is unchanging. His Word tells us He is always kind, always faithful, always merciful, always righteous. As we read God's Word we learn that God's lovingkindness is without end. The Bible also tells us that God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. It also tells us that God is eternal and Creator of all. Everything we see and cannot see, God created. The Laws of the universe are His for He is the Author of it all.
Knowing these things about Him, about God's unchanging character, helps us through the unpredictable times of life. Times when we face small challenges or big obstacles. Times when life is utterly chaotic and times when life is peaceful. God never changes but He uses many unpredictable ways to draw us to Him in lovingkindness.
And with Christmas upon us, we celebrate the remembrance of Jesus' birth. The Son of God come to die as the Son of Man, in our place. Jesus' love for His creation was (and is) evident in His finished work on the cross at Calvary. He led the perfect life to offer the perfect sacrifice so that we wouldn't have to pay for the wages of our lives (the wages of sin is death) without Him. This is the Good News that was preached. It was Good News to the Israelites, because they fully understood their lack of fulfilling the Law of God. We have forgotten that we fall short without Christ. All our "good works" outside of Christ, is as filthy rags. We can do nothing to earn God's favor. It is only accepting Jesus death in our place and His resurrection as our hope for eternal life with Him that we are justified in God's eyes. We must repent of our sin (our falling short of God's Law---think of the Ten Commandments...have you kept each one without fail ALL your life?) believe on Jesus for His finished work and walk in the new life He offers.
More on this later...for now, Merry Christmas!
I've enjoyed a terrific study of God's Word with the text being primarily from Exodus. The Bible teacher made a statement about God that I've been reflecting upon even since. She said,"God's character is unchanging but His works (His activity) is unpredictable." This reminded me of the Children in Narnia asking the Beaver husband and wife about Aslan. They asked if he was safe. The Beavers replied with something like-He is not safe, but He is kind. This is a description of our Lord. God is unpredictable. He will not be put into a box that we can predict His works. Yet, God is kind.
For the Christian, this statement, "God's character is unchanging but His works are unpredictable" or as the Beavers said-"He is not safe, but he is kind" gives peace for we serve and love God Who is unchanging. Everything we learn about Him from His Word, is the same forever. God is not "safe" but He is kind. God is unpredictable in His Works, but He is unchanging in His character.
God's Word tells us that He is unchanging. His Word tells us He is always kind, always faithful, always merciful, always righteous. As we read God's Word we learn that God's lovingkindness is without end. The Bible also tells us that God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. It also tells us that God is eternal and Creator of all. Everything we see and cannot see, God created. The Laws of the universe are His for He is the Author of it all.
Knowing these things about Him, about God's unchanging character, helps us through the unpredictable times of life. Times when we face small challenges or big obstacles. Times when life is utterly chaotic and times when life is peaceful. God never changes but He uses many unpredictable ways to draw us to Him in lovingkindness.
And with Christmas upon us, we celebrate the remembrance of Jesus' birth. The Son of God come to die as the Son of Man, in our place. Jesus' love for His creation was (and is) evident in His finished work on the cross at Calvary. He led the perfect life to offer the perfect sacrifice so that we wouldn't have to pay for the wages of our lives (the wages of sin is death) without Him. This is the Good News that was preached. It was Good News to the Israelites, because they fully understood their lack of fulfilling the Law of God. We have forgotten that we fall short without Christ. All our "good works" outside of Christ, is as filthy rags. We can do nothing to earn God's favor. It is only accepting Jesus death in our place and His resurrection as our hope for eternal life with Him that we are justified in God's eyes. We must repent of our sin (our falling short of God's Law---think of the Ten Commandments...have you kept each one without fail ALL your life?) believe on Jesus for His finished work and walk in the new life He offers.
More on this later...for now, Merry Christmas!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)