"yesterday and today"
Hebrews 13:8
I had an interesting day today ~ I stepped into a time machine...
I spent lunch with some of my closest friends, at a wedding shower. These are probably the people who know me best, outside of my family. I see them on a regular basis, and a common topic of conversation is obviously our faith ~ what part of the Bible we're studying at church, either on Sundays, or in the weekly Bible study. Or we talk about what God is working on in our lives or how we're growing (or are trying to grow!)
From there I drove to a celebration of another friend's wedding. This was one of my closest friends from high school. I've seen her quite a few times since then, but it's been awhile. But there were also a few folks there I haven't seen at all since high school. So after spending time with the people who know me best at this point in my life, I then spent an hour or so chatting with people who knew me best 25 years ago.
As I drove home, I got to thinking about how much I've changed. Twenty-five years is a long time. Of course there have been life changes ~ I got my college degree, I'm married now, I've got kids, I've had and lost jobs, bought and sold houses... But other than becoming a mom, in many ways, a description of me would sound the same. My hobbies and interests are the same ~ even The Apple of my Eye is the same! {Boyfriend then, husband now.} And now, as then, my faith is the most important thing in my life.
But for all that seems the same about me, I'm very different. After all, I've spent the last twenty-five years trying to grow my faith, and become more like Jesus. I'm less anxious, and more forgiving, and since I have a lot more Scripture memorized, I think it's safe to say I'm wiser, too. But I'm sure my old friends couldn't tell that. After all, we just talked about marriages, kids and jobs. And there's just no way to share spiritual growth and deep feelings when you stick to small talk.
And as I drove, thinking all this, I passed a church with Hebrews 13:8 on their sign out front. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Being reminded of that, when I was in the middle of thinking about time and change, left me speechless. Of course, I wasn't really talking anyway, as I was alone in the car, but it sort of left me thoughtless. Well, you know what I mean...
My first reaction was a little chagrined. I'd been thinking about how I'd changed, without really thinking about how He has changed me. Man, we spend way too much time thinking about ourselves, don't we? :)
I also felt something like relief at the Lord's consistency. He is reliable, faithful and worthy of my trust. And His unchanging quality is largely why we can trust Him. The God who created the universe, is the Son who came down to earth to save us, is the Spirit who lives in us, is the Lord who will come again, fulfilling the prophecies of the Book of Revelation.
And I felt awe at the idea of never changing. As humans, we can't help changing. All we can do is work to change for the better. God is perfection already. I'm a better person, and a better Christian than I was all those years ago, but still a long way from where I want to be... a long way from who I want to be...
Improving is good. Not needing to, is better.
~ "The Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation
or shadow of turning" ~
James 1:17
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