“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV

Has Anything Changed?

Woke up this morning wondering, “Has anything changed?” Nope! It’s going to be another day of “social distancing”, uncertainty, wondering what’s on the grocery shelves, and when will this all go back to normal. It has that “after 9/11” feel. Things are going to be different, just don’t know how. Big changes a’brewin’?

No matter. Jumped out of bed and started doing things that never change—making the bed, laundry, feeding the pets, cleaning the kitchen, paying the bills, studying the Word. The Word—oh yes! Has God changed? NO WAY! Let’s see what God’s Word says about change. Went up stairs, sat down at the computer, went to biblegateway.com and typed in the word change. First up:

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

What comfort these words brought. Jesus is the same today as before COVID-19, before 9/11, before (you fill in the blank). Some of His attributes came to mind.  Jesus is: loving, kind, forgiving, comforting, faithful. Faithful—there’s a word to look up sometime.

Back to the search on “change.” Scrolled, there were verses on Pharaoh—he changed his mind a lot. Scrolled some more. Verses on leprosy were next. Scrolled some more—ah, here’s one:

Numbers 23:19 NIV  “God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” 

Wow, I wondered what the NKJV would say. Click, selected NKJV, click. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Change can mean repent. God doesn’t need to repent so He doesn’t change. Repent is something I need to do.

On to the New Testament I went. Click and scrolled through 20 verses there. First up:

Matthew 18:3 “And He said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” 

Ouch. I need to do the changing and become like a little child. Little children trust and just live. They have fun. They tell the truth. They enjoy simple things. What child doesn’t like the box more than the gift inside sometimes? Gift, oh yes! There was a verse about gifts on the list of twenty and that became the opening verse of this devotional.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Today is a gift even if things are different and uncertain. I can rely on a God that does not change and is faithful. So can you!

Heavenly Father, help us to do the necessary changing/repenting to become like little children to trust You to live through this uncertain, scary time. Thank You that You never change and have perfect gifts for us. We want to press into You and rest. Amen.