Before 911 Time Magazine had a section called Winners and Losers. In August 2001 Rudy Giuliani was described as the lame duck Mayor of New York with crumbling health, a marriage on the rocks and a declining career. Subtitle: ‘What a loser – who would want to be this guy?’
Three weeks later Time called Rudy Giuliani the mayor of the world – a tower of leadership and strength on 911. A few months later that same magazine made him the person of the year. Wow, how things can change. Perceptions, opinions and philosophy of life can change and most people realize change is inevitable. It’s the one thing you can count on!
Fortunately, because God doesn’t change. He is absolutely consistent in his character.
God’s character does not change.
I the Lord do not change. Malachi 3:6 James 1:17; Dt. 32:4
Think about it, if God’s character could change he would either have to improve or deteriorate. He would have to change for the better or for the worse. How can you improve perfection? God cannot change for the better for he’s already perfect and being perfect he cannot change for the worse.
There has never been a time when God was not; there never will be a time when He shall cease to be. He has never evolved, grown, nor improved. All that he is today He has ever been and ever will be. Arthur Pink
Seven year old Billy prayed to God, “Dear God you better take care of yourself, if anything happens to you were all in a terrible mess.
Like Billy, some think that during life’s challenges, “I don’t think God realizes the mess that I’m in and what’s at stake. God does not have the power to change this. I need a full strength God, He’s gotten weaker, He’s dropped the ball, He’s getting old. He’s lost his stuff, he’s been sent down to the minor leagues.”
God will always be who he is in his character.
His power does not change. His omniscience has not changed. He’s not staying home more often. He is not bedridden, sick, disengaged or tired. He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. Ps.102:25-26
God’s truth does not change
The words of the culture are blowing in the wind, but not so with the word of God. He means what He says forever – he doesn’t change his mind! Is. 40:6-8; Mt.24:35; Ps. 119:89, 52
He stands in the witness stand and testifies for Himself. Heb.6:17-18
God’s counsel does not change
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? Numbers 23:19
Many can change their worldview, but God never does! He never needs to change or revise his counsel. His counsel, his plans and His ways are made on the basis of complete knowledge and control of all things past, present and future. So there is no sudden emergencies, he is not surprised about anything.
Because God is both omnipotent and omniscient he never needs to revise his decrees. Ps.33:11 What God does in time and space he had planned to do from eternity. Eph.1:4; 2:10 All that he is planning to do He will do. The unchanging nature of God can be seen in its beauty when seen against the fickleness of mankind. In God no change is possible, but with people change is impossible to escape.
Philosophers over the centuries have expressed the fickleness of humankind with no real answers. Where can we find real permanence and stability in a world of constant change where relationships crumble under change? In the sea of relativity character and promises are sadly lacking.
People can like you one day and hate you the next. In a world of such insincerity and fickleness it’s encouraging to know that people can change. Read about the amazing story of would be suicide bomber Erin Ahmed.
However fickle and unstable friends and families can be God is not! If he were manipulated, coaxed, influenced or begged off he would not be God! There is a tremendous peace in knowing that your heavenly father’s character never changes. In coming to him at any time we never have to wonder whether he is in a receptive mood. Our Father is always receptive to our pain and our need to be loved. Heb. 7:25
God does not keep office hours, he does not set aside periods when he will see no one. He does not change His mind about anything, not even you!
Right now what God feels about his creation whether its babies, the frail, the sick, the elderly, the marginalized, the sinful and confused is as he did when he sent his only son into the world for you and I. His love for you never cools off. He doesn’t lose enthusiasm for you. Nobody is 100% consistent except God! If you don’t know this unchanging God why not ask him into your life?
