Reflection: Fads, fashions and culture change with history. It’s fair to say that ours is a world that has become weary of change. But here’s the thing: the character and purposes of God never change. Something of this truth is seen in the remarkable way the Bible knits together to form a consistent narrative despite it being written by scores of authors over one thousand years of history. This feature has no parallel in any other literature. It is extraordinary how the major themes of the New Testament are all prefigured in the Old Testament. In a very real way, the Old Testament is the manger in which the New Testament is laid.
This reality gives great significance to today’s verse that says that God’s name is something that endures through all generations. We are therefore not free to change the consistent principles God has revealed about himself to suit the cultural mores of our time. We can, however, change how we share the gospel so that Christ’s church remains relevant.
God does not change (Numbers 23:19; James 1:17), and that is an enormous comfort. His renown is proclaimed by the two trillion galaxies of the observable universe, the miracle of life, and by God coming to us in history as Jesus Christ. These are the truths I carry in my heart. I carry them there because my eye is directed to ‘all generations.’ I know that in a very real sense, I carry in my heart the hope of my children.
Prayer:Â Heavenly Father, in a world made bewildered and anxious by change, it is wonderful to know that you do not change. Your character never changes and your love for us is eternal. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.