Nancy Hughes: When staying the same is better than change

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

One of the best times I remember as a teen was going on a scavenger hunt with friends. We had a list of things that had to be retrieved in order to win a prize. Things like “hair off Grandpa Dale's head” and “get a dime from a woman parked at Simone's Drive-In” topped the list.

Whoever got everything collected first would race back to a pre-determined spot and wait for everyone else, gloating over the win.

Recently I had the joy of experiencing a scavenger hunt again . . . at Wal-Mart. Our local store began rearranging everything on shelves and in aisles so that their store would be a carbon copy of every other Wal-Mart. The idea served a great purpose: whatever town a shopper was in, they could easily find what they needed because all their stores were arranged exactly alike.

For a directionally-challenged person like me, it sounded wonderful. I had a great time during my first visit after the changes but I also think that I spent twice what I had planned. For example, when I went to the cereal aisle and found chips instead, I thought that I might as well get a bag or two. Looking for a can of corn took me to the candy aisle and who could resist that? After all, candy corn is corn, I reasoned.
Not everyone shared my thrill of the hunt. As I was looking for peanut butter, I noticed what appeared to be a very frustrated woman walking up and down aisle after aisle and periodically looking heavenward as if needing divine help in her search.

Thinking I could be of assistance, I asked “Are you looking for something?” to which she responded “Seriously? Are you kidding?” and then followed that with a huge sigh and a “Sorry. Plastic bags. I need plastic bags. They are not in the store anywhere!

Why would they quit carrying plastic bags?”

“Where were they before the changes?” I asked her. “Where the soda pop is now,” she answered, rolling her eyes. I shrugged. “So maybe they are where the soda pop was . . .” “Nope, already checked,” she replied, shaking her head.

A Wal-Mart employee walked by and I couldn't resist: “Hey, I'll give you $5.00 to find plastic bags for this lady.” What he didn’t realize was that I was determined to make it a competition and find them first; however, five minutes later, I heard “I've found them!” and the employee held up the box of plastic bags.

The previously frustrated customer pumped her fist in the air and yelled “Yes!” as she grabbed the plastic bags, threw them in her cart, and left to find a can of spaghetti sauce. The employee politely declined the money I offered, stated that it was a pleasure to help a customer and left to help someone else. That was okay with me. Because when I went to the peanut butter aisle, I found the cereal aisle instead . . .

Changes occur in our lives every day – sometimes every minute! But how wonderful that today’s Scripture in Hebrews 13:8 reassures us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

You will never turn to Jeremiah 31:34 and, instead of reading “I will remember their sin no more,” find that God has changed His mind and has decided “I will remember every single sin you have ever committed.”

We will never need to fear that “He is not here; I’m not sure what happened.” has replaced “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:6) God’s Word is truth and it is never going to change. Ever.

Be comforted in knowing that the God of the Universe who loves you and who stood firm in your yesterday and did not change will also stand firm in your today and in your tomorrow. For eternity.

Father, Thank you for never changing and for your words of love and truth in my life every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Have you ever had people in your life totally change from how you knew them? What was your initial response?

Apply

Journal people in your life who have completely changed from their beliefs and describe how they have changed.

Now journal promises from God’s Word that reassure you that He will never change. Thank Him for His faithfulness.

Power

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Isaiah 40:8 (NIV) “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our not destroyed.”

Malachi 3:6 (NIV) “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)