-December 31, 2021-
Good morning, happy Friday, happy New Year’s Eve,
“For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
(Malachi 3:6).
Everything and everyone in the world changes. World leaders change, business changes, technology changes, sports stars and entertainers change, yes, the only thing that doesn’t change is change itself. We age, our hair grows gray, then white, and one day we die if the Rapture doesn’t come first. But our hope is beyond the grave to be with the Lord who never changes. He is the everlasting God. He has no beginning and no end. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
God is always faithful. He loves us so much. He can never love us more than He does right now, nor can He ever love us any less. Psalm 102:25-27 says, “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.”
It is comforting to know that God never changes; we can always count on Him. He is always with us, leading and guiding us. He has a plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the thoughts (or plans) I think (or have for you) toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’”
We are at the end of 2021, and 2022 lies just ahead. Many can’t wait for the calendar to change, hoping things will get better. We can’t put our hope or confidence in the things of this world. We all want a better tomorrow, but that is out of our control. This coronavirus is still among us, many have become ill, and quite a few have died. We trust the Lord for what lies ahead, and we thank Him for all He has done for us and provided for us. Every year is a blessing when the Lord is with us. God has richly and abundantly blessed us, and we have so much to be thankful for.
The Prayer of Serenity, written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, says, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” There are many things out of our control, we cannot change them; there other things we can and should change. God gives the wisdom on how to live, and what to say and what not say. Let us thank our unchangeable God!
Have a blessed last day of the year. May we all remember that God never changes, though everything in our world changes. Stay safe and healthy.
In His grace,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 