It’s hard to believe that 2018 will soon be just another label in the deep file cabinet of our memories. Last week, as the Thanksgiving holiday was rapidly approaching, I sat down at my desk to write a sermon for our community thanksgiving service. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say, but I knew I didn’t want to preach another generalized message about an attitude of gratitude or seven more things to be thankful for. There, in the soft light of my computer, I bowed my head and quietly asked God what He wanted me to say to His people on the following night. Suddenly, but not like a lightning bolt from Heaven as you might imagine, I had an idea: I would speak about one attribute of God for which I was especially grateful. The difficult part would be choosing just one.
Obviously, I could speak about His love. The more I know of me, the more amazed I am by Him. Heaven itself could produce no higher theme than His love, but somehow I knew that wasn’t the one thing God was leading me to. His amazing grace and abounding mercy were certainly contenders in the race, but still they did not express the thought my heart was searching for words to say. His omnipotence and omniscience were close on the heels of mercy and grace. How could I overlook the fact that there is nothing in our universe, visible or invisible that exists outside of His consent and control? I couldn’t just avoid the fact that He has never once entertained a new idea nor ever had a fresh realization. Yet, I knew that neither of these two attributes were the one that comforted me most this past year.
Could I speak about God without mentioning the precision of His judgment and perfection of His justice? Honestly, I was in awe of the fact, considering the often biased cries for modern justice, that He has never reached a wrong conclusion because He always has all the information. After rehearsing all this on the stage of my mind, I knew that I was thankful for everything about Him; but there was still one thing that I loved most this year–His consistency.
All of His attributes provide precious comfort, but what good would they be if we had no guarantee that He would be the same tomorrow? In the epistle to the Hebrews, the Spirit of God assured us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews13:8) Simply put, Jesus doesn’t change. His name is synonymous with consistency. The idea that He is unchangeable may seem rather simplistic at first glance, but it really is quite a profound truth. He is the only living thing in the universe that has not, does not, and will not ever change.
Boulders wear away to pebbles. Rivers take new courses, and lakes dry up. Families fragment, companies evolve, churches modify their methods, friendships go deeper or disappear, and even we ourselves do not remain untouched by the wrinkled fingers of time. But Jesus is always the same. His faithfulness to His own character is a thing to rejoice in. He is just like His Father; change is not a part of His nature. Scripture says, “In Him there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)
His consistency would be a terror to us if He were not also good. Reliability means little if it is reliably bad. Consistency coupled with a tendency toward mischief would be a horrifying notion to live with. I’m thankful that Jesus isn’t just consistent, but that He’s always consistently good.
For us, change is often necessary, but for Jesus to modify His majesty would be a retreat from perfection. His constitution warrants no amendment, His attitude needs no adjustment, His appearance needs no alteration. He can’t be enhanced, upgraded, or improved. Jesus doesn’t change, because He has no need to. We change as we learn and are exposed to new things. Yet, since He never makes a new discovery or has a new experience, He is not affected by any outside influence. He never changes in either policy or practice because one can climb no higher than the summit of perfection.
The promise that Scripture makes is not just that He hasn’t changed, but that He never will.
He is who He was, and who He was He always will be. Tomorrow when I need forgiveness for yesterday, He will remain my Redeemer, always ready and willing to restore. When I find myself longing for love–no matter the hour–I know two arms that will always be open. If it’s provision I need, He will always have plenty and more than enough to spare. When I lack the wisdom to offer an answer, my Counselor will be standing near. When my body is broken, I am confident there will be a Physician within reach. When I am terrified, He will be a Tower I can run into that the enemy can’t breach. When my faith is shaky, He will be the Rock I can stand on that can’t be moved or worn down. Whatever my need, whenever I need it, I know where to go, because Jesus Christ never changes.
Of this we can be sure, He will be faithful even when we are not. I am grateful that He is consistent now; I love that He will remain that way forever. As surely as He has been faithful, faithful He will forever be. As we sail into another new year, we can face the fog of the future with a confident knowledge that regardless of the direction of the wind that blows against our ship, Jesus will remain the same, and He will see us safely to shore.
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Ben