2010's Word of the Year

Shortly before Jan. 1, 2008, I read an article and in it the author talked about picking a word for the year. The word was to sum up what they hoped or expected for the coming year. I liked the idea. So I asked the Lord to show me a word for 2008... sort of a theme for me. 2008's word was Gratitude and I strove to develop an attitude of Gratitude.. thanking the Lord for all He provided and did. 2009's word was peace. I really wasn't sure why God lead me to that word, but I knew that I peace is something I seek often. Interestingly, there have been a lot of times and situations over this past year where peace would not be the norm. And yet, I have found peace in the midst of those times through the Prince of Peace.

Now it is 2010 and I have again been searching for a word. God spoke it to me a couple of days ago, but I don't like it. So I've tried to find another one, but He keeps speaking the same word... CHANGE.

I know that 2010 will be a year of change. My older child graduates college and then moves out of state to pursue her Master's. She has lived at home for 22 years, so this will be a big change. My younger child graduates from high school and while he is going to live at home during college (we have an awesome Christian University here), it will still be different. He will be pretty much here to sleep, eat and grab laundry! My mother is 78 and while still active, I am starting to see changes in her... changes that remind me how short our time is here and changes that require me to do a bit more for and with her. We continue to adapt to having 2 young dogs (still puppies) in our home... to getting older ourselves... to new opportunities like leading Bible study and being involved with a new ministry at church... my husband's secure job with the government may not be so secure after the legislative session... financial crunch is affecting us like everyone else and with 2 in college that it seems tighter than ever... so yes, we are feeling change and see more coming.

Certainly there are changes in our country and world. From health care reform that really helps no one... to more divorce... same sex-marriage being legalized in more states... more people choosing to live together and have children without ever getting married... and more and more folks who dislike Christians and our faith and feel free to show their feelings.

So no, CHANGE is not the word I would have chosen. But then 2 things hit me. One, I want to change this year in one specific way. I want to be more like Jesus each day than I was the previous day. That is my constant prayer. I know it is God's desire to make me more and more like His precious baby boy and that only happens through change. And two, while things are changing all around me I can count on one thing not to change.. Malachi 3:6 says "I the Lord do not change." That is a promise!

In the midst of change, I can hold on to the fact that God is still God.... He is still my Father, Rock, Redeemer, Deliverer, Strong Tower, Provider, Friend, Lover of my Soul, Savior... He is still with me.. He still never slumbers... He still watches over and guides me... it is still impossible for me to be separated from His love... and so much more!

CHANGE might not be fun, even when necessary, we can make it through by keeping our focus on the One who does not Change... GOD!

Change...

We live in a world where change is a constant. The Stock Market and Dow go up and down... companies thriving one day and closed the next.... people loose jobs or receive tragic diagnosis at the drop of a hat... and don't even get me started on all the fads that come and go and celebs that rise and fall in popularity... change is everywhere... and it makes for a shaky existence.

BUT...

"I the LORD do not change" Malachi 3:6

God tells us without one bit of hesitation that He does not change. Not one bit! How awesome is that to know in light of the world in which we live?!

When we read about God in His Word, we can know that everything there is still true today. He is still our Rock, our Redeemer, the Lifter of our head... He still parts seas and goes before us... He still heals the sick.... He still loves us... He still wants to be in relationship with us... His grace is still sufficient... NONE of that has changed!

It is important that we have a foundation on which to stand. If you build it on the world, then it will change over and over... shifting like the yazoo clay here in central Mississippi and causing your foundation to crack and crumble. But, if you choose to build on the Word of God, your foundation will be strong and secure. "God's solid foundation stands firm" 2 Timothy 2:19

I know the world around me is changing.. I know my circumstances can change.. but Praise God He never changes and I (and you!) can stand firm with feet solidly planted on that truth!

Our Constant in a Changing World

I work with an afterschool ministry program at my church for K - 6th grade. I work with the older kids (4th-6th), an age group I have never worked with before and one I am enjoying much more than I thought I would. How I got into this is a long story, but needless to say it was all God.

So each week I share a bit of Bible study with the kids and also play a game with them. They love hangman.... so we do Bible verse hangman. It is a great way to get them in the Word and get the Word in them. I am amazed at how much they remember from such a simple game.

I was looking for some verses last week and I stumbled across Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." What a simple straight forward truth! And how powerful and empowering it is for us.

That verse has stuck with me all week and as I was meditating on it recently, God brought to mind Malachi 3:6... "I the Lord do not change." I love finding Scriptures that reinforce each other and I especially love finding those types of Scriptures in both the Old and New Testament. The fact that God and Jesus do not change ... have never changed... will never change is not something new that occurred after Jesus came to earth in the form of a man, but it is an eternal truth that always has been and always will be.

Isn't it amazing to realize that the God we serve.. the God we love... the God who loves us.. the God in whom we trust.. never changes. He is the same as He was yesterday... as He is today... as He will be tomorrow. He will not be stronger one day and weaker the next... He isn't moody or wishy-washy... He loves us continually... cares for us... provides for us... pours out His mercy and grace on us... and so much more each and every day.

Times change.. no doubt the world we live in is different in many ways from the world our grandparents and great-grandparents inhabitted and it is different from the one our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will live in should the Lord tarry that long. Our world is in a constant state of change, but the One who created it... the One sovereign over all.. He is the same... yesterday... today... and fever!