An Unchanging God

I don’t know if you ever look back at your life and wonder, why am I still alive?  If you haven’t, I’ll admit I have. I think we all have some things in our past that make us say, Thank you God!

The reason you and I are still here is because God in His mercy has found it in His plan to keep us here.  Equally, lets reflect on the people of Israel and how they wandered away from God and He flat out tells them, the only reason they are still alive is because He does not change.  

Malachi 3:6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.

God had made a promise to their forefathers and He would keep it.  He then calls them to repentance. How often we find ourselves just like the Jewish people… off wondering around in a desert.  We are as lost as can be; no not spiritually as the unsaved but lost as sheep get lost.  Like sheep we are often unaware of the dangers all around us.  We happily go along our way enjoying the delicacies of the world all the while surrounded by wolves.

It is only because the Lord calls us that we have any hope.  The good Shepard does not just search for the lost sheep He calls to them and they hear His voice and return to the Good Shepard.  Now let us hear the voice of our Shepard and return to Him. The shepherd who pursues lives and searches hearts, whose arm is not too short to save, the psalmist confessed, “I have strayed like a lost sheep.” Undoubtedly, the heavens rejoice over the heart that recognizes its need to be found.  He is waiting and watching for us to return.  Just as the father of the prodigal son was watching for the return of his lost child so is our Father waiting for us to come home.  It is an amazing thing that as children of the King we have a heavenly palace that is our home and yet at the same time we so often like the prodigal son choose to live this life “eating with the pigs.”  

God has such a better plan for us as His children, do you not know that He has what’s best in store for us and we often turn down the best so that we can dine on the pig slop of the world.  His plans are all-encompassing and steadfast.

7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

God does not change, and His promises do not change, He is the Lord of the Armies of Heaven, return to Him and He will return to you.  He will never force Himself upon you, so He waits. How long dear brothers and sisters will we keep Him waiting?

Dear loved ones,

Today we will be traveling to Houston since Phil is scheduled for tests this week. It is our first visit back after all his treatments, we are praying that they were effective and for clear scans. We are deeply grateful for the care of the medical teams at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the love of those who cared so faithfully and come alongside in many generous and unexpected ways. Thank you for your ongoing prayers and messages for Phil. They have been a huge blessing to us all.

With much love, Elda