“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19
“Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17
I loved what Brandi had to say last week about being poured out like a drink offering before the Lord. Her heart for surrender and submission to the Father’s will is remarkable to me, and I encourage us all to emulate her desire for practical, authentic fasting within our spiritual practice.
This week let’s marvel together in the wonder of God’s unchanging character. God’s “immutability,” to use a technical term, is the part of his nature that quite literally cannot change in any way. This means God does not mature to become a better version of himself, nor does he decline into a bad season or have an “off day.” He lives in a constant state of perfection. In God there are no variables, and none of his opinions are subject to change.
Think about how different this is from ourselves and our world. My feelings and opinions change every day! The world around us is constantly changing. The climate, political leaders, and even technology are in constant flux. Our families are in perpetual dynamic change as people are born, get married, move away, etc. Our jobs change or could change rapidly. Death brings enormous change. Change is all around us and generally (at least for me) can cause great anxiety and fear. In what areas of your life do you tend to resist change?
This is a way God is very different from us. He does not change, ever. We do not trust the people around us or the future out of fear of change. People’s ideas change, opinions change, feelings change. But we can trust God and what he says because he never changes. What he says and the way he feels will always stay the same.
Let me be clear as to how this incredible truth changes our lives today:
- God is always excited to see you. He is thrilled every time you come to him, even when you come to him in shame or guilt.
- God does not change his mind. There will never be a day God is uncertain that he chose you to be his child. Ever.
- God does not reconsider or regret his choices. He will never regret sending his Son to die for our sins. He will never regret saving you or me from ourselves.
- God always hates our sin. He hates it now just as much as he did when he drove Adam and Eve out of the garden. He hates that we are slaves to sin before we come to him. He will never be coaxed into thinking our sin in ok or persuaded into changing his Word to better fit our earthly desires.
- There will always be a place at the table of grace in the Kingdom of God for you and for me. No matter how bad things get, how hopeless we feel, how disappointed or distracted we become, if we are in Christ our future is secure forever.
- We, as his children, know exactly where we stand with God at all times. We know exactly what we need to do to reconcile our broken relationship with God, and we know the end result with God will always be reconciliation if we come to him in repentance. The way He acts towards us never changes.
Where are you doubting the promises of God in your life right now? Which of these promises, or maybe another, can you rest in today?
This week I read Heather’s incredible story of resilient faith. Something she clung to during one of the most challenging seasons of her life is the unchanging nature of God and his promises. He is always with her; there will never be a day she has to walk this new road alone. There will never be a day when God does not see her working selflessly to care for her daughter. She is loved with an everlasting love. These things will never change! What steadfast peace this knowledge brings to a believer in the midst of trial.
I invite you to worship the Lord with me this week as we think about his immutability and ponder how God is different from us. One of my favorite worship songs is “You Never Change” by Austin Stone Worship. Today I hope you put your trust in the only One who will never change.
In Christ Alone, Emma
