God: Unchanging

"I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed."- Malachi 3:6

Have you ever thought about walking into God's mind and staying there for a moment?  It would be immeasurable, it would have no limits.  It would take us countless lifetimes to grasp the very scope of it.  It's brilliance would boggle us and its depth would befuddle our finite minds.  

As I contemplate this verse in Malachi I'm struck by the great depth of it.  The Lord does not change His mind, because if He did, we could very well be destroyed.  

Sometimes when I look around at the world and I see the injustice and evil within our world I can't help but wonder why God puts up with us the way that He does.  It is only by His grace that we still exist.  We deserve punishment for the way we have gone about our lives.  If put on trial our world would have plenty of things against us for God to just up and pull the plug on this whole thing.  

Yet, God because He is full of mercy chooses not to destroy us when He very well could.  We are at the mercy of a higher authority and just as you and I cannot control natural disasters, the future, death, or a plethora of other things outside of our realm of control.  We ultimately are in the hands of an Almighty God who with one breath could wipe out all of humanity.  Yet, He chooses not to change His mind.  For our sake, this is a good thing.  

So, whats the big deal?  Why should be care about all of this?  I know, your probably not getting the warm fuzzy's reading this post thinking about how God could wipe you out in one breath, but here's why I think this matters.  

It helps us to have the right reverence for God.  Ultimately, understanding this about God will cause us to fear Him in a way that is reverential and praise worthy.  For me, it causes me to lay aside my own will and cast myself at the mercy of a high authority, because quite frankly sometimes we make God out to be a wimp and He will have none of that, nor does He deserve any of that.  

Low views of God minimize the worship He deserves.  We attempt to strip Him of His power when He will have none of that.  We attempt to make God like us, one with limitations and failings, yet God, is not like us.  Although we are made in His image in order to reflect His character.  His personhood is far greater than ours.  He has no limits, He makes no mistakes, nor does He ever fail.  

The right view of God shows to a world that desperately needs Him that quite simply, they need Him.  The right view of God hits the mortal, finite man right between the eyes with the reality that he is at the mercy of an all powerful, unchanging God who by His mercy sent His son Jesus Christ to set sinners like you and me free.  Wow, now that is beautiful.   

God sends Jesus for humanities sin.  If we trust in the perfect work of Christ, laying down our own pride, admitting that God is holy, just and perfect and that we are not, then we have freedom and life.  

This we can be sure of that God will never change when it comes to His love for sinners.  He will never take back the cross, but He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish.  

Let us worship the true God, who is the great and unchanging I AM.  There was no one before Him, nor shall there be anyone after Him.  Hallelujah.  How GREAT is our GOD! 

Thoughts on The Gospel

The mystery of the gospel is that I am accepted by God, made new through the power of the Holy Spirit and seen as forgiven and free all due to the work of Jesus Christ.  

I am certainly not deserving yet God in His infinite mercies takes a rebel like me and calls me His daughter.  He fills me with joy, He puts a new song in my heart and He places me on a path far greater than I could ever dream.  

This gospel sets me free, not to be who I want to be, but to be whom God created me to be.  When has the creation ever told the creator what its purpose is anyways?  I will trust that my creator holds within His hand a far better plan.  I will walk by faith and not sight trusting in the perfect promises of God.  

Oh, how I love the gospel! 

Thoughts about Ruth....

I'm learning to trust God.  

Recently God has been stripping me of things that I held quite dear.  I know its for my ultimate good and for His glory.  I find that as I seek Him in prayer I'm taking it in stride.  My heart feels at peace and at rest in my maker.  

I was thinking about Ruth today.  How she ended up in the field of Boaz, the very one who could redeem her from her desolation, become her provider and give her life.  Without a redeemer Ruth and her mother-in-law probably would have died, but out of nowhere Boaz shows up.  God provides.  

Ever wanted to take the reigns yourself and make things happen, because I mean how is God suppose to make something happen if in your mind it seems impossible?  Well, I'm sure thats how Ruth and Naomi felt as well, yet God shows up, in His perfect timing to bring a man into their lives who would redeem them and pursue them.  

It's a wonderful picture of the gospel.  We are desolate, dead in our sins and in need of redemption.  God sends Jesus who pursues us and adopts us into His family if we would call out to Him to redeem us by His perfect work on the cross in dying for our sins.  He, just like Boaz rescued Ruth, rescues us, hallelujah!  

This gives me hope that no matter how long my waiting, God can drop any provision in from out of nowhere tomorrow if He wanted to.  I need not worry about what tomorrow holds, but I trust Him for today.