“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 KJV)
This is a verse from the Bible that we hear over and over again. But at the same time it is a verse that we really need to hear over and over again. In this ever-changing world of temptation, danger, and rebellion, there is one name, one person, one life, one sacrifice, one resurrection, and one salvation which remain constant. The writer of Hebrews, who is believed to have been Paul, was so focused on Jesus Christ that for him, there was no other way we can deal with the conflicts of our everyday life.
Most times, sadly, we go through our days living just one moment at a time. However, life is far too short to live looking back. Many times we kick ourselves by saying, “I should have done this,” or “if-only I had done that.” But God is the God of today and tomorrow. He is also the Almighty God who knows all of our “should-haves” and “if-only’s.”
All of us have mistakes in our past that have the ability to haunt us. But God does not sit around stewing over the mistakes that we’ve made. Neither should we.
Paul faced this same thing. He was haunted by his past mistakes, but at the same time He looked to His unmovable rock – Jesus Christ. “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,” (Philippians 3:13 NLT)
At times it feels like everything around us is constantly changing; sometimes for the better and sometimes for worse. Babies are born, loved ones die, kids go off to college, friends drift in and out of our lives, jobs change, looks change, health changes.
God is the God of the ever-present, eternal “yesterday,” “today,” and “tomorrow.” He exists in all of eternity at once with no reference to time, and for Him all of time is today. By His own Word God tells us, “Today, while you hear His voice, harden not your hearts...” and He tells us that “Today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time.”
Jesus did not change when he took on flesh, and did not change when He was raised in glory from the dark tomb. He did not change when He blessed his apostles and was received by a cloud into Heaven to sit at the Father’s right hand. He will not be a different Jesus Christ, who comes on a white horse, to judge and wage war; His eyes a flame of fire and many crowns on His head, and clothed with a robe dipped in blood and on his thigh written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!”
We are called to be faithful and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. He is the same as He was yesterday, when He determined to carry our sin to the cross to Calvary. He is the same today, having completed the work of redemption and having earned the right to enter God’s presence with His own blood. By God’s grace and mercy and by Jesus’ sacrifice we have become joint heirs to serve the living God. It will be this same Jesus who grants all who call on His name in faith, the right to sit down with Him on His throne.
He does not change. His Word does not change. His provision does not change. His promises do not change. He said He will not leave us nor forsake us. He said it when He was on earth. That promise has not changed.
Whenever we begin to feel uncertain about our lives, all we have to do is look to our faith and remember that God always has been, is now and always will be the same. He is an immovable Rock upon which we can depend. And if we cling to that Rock, though the winds of change may blow, our foundation will remain steady and strong.
As we stop to think about the principles of Life that God gives us in His Word, this is the truth to which we anchor our faith, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
“God is unchanging in His love. He loves you. He has a plan for your life. Don't let the newspaper headlines frighten you. God is still sovereign; He's still on the throne.” Billy Graham
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
