It came to pass...the inevitability of change.
One of the most profound yet sublime truths we possess as Christians is the promise of change. Everything in life is undergoing change in some form. Nature is a great example of this. We have seasonal transformation four times a year, and with those changes, we experience differences in temperature, rainfall, snowfall, regrowth, and the blooming again of plantlife. Nothing remains static or unchanging. We often say that the world just keeps turning, which incidentally is the great force behind all the change that happens on the physial planet!
But change doesn't stop with our physical world. We experience myriad life adjustments from the moment we are born. From the cradle to the grave, we are incessantly going through the shade one day and sunshine the next. We can never tell what is coming tomorrow. It keeps life both unpredictable and predictable at the same time. We can always expect things to never remain the same!
This is reflected in the Scriptures with the phrase,
(and) it came to pass.
This phrase occurs almost four hundred times in Scripture and is a simple reminder that everything in life comes and goes. Very simply, everything in this life is transient. This world of ours does not reflect absolute permanency! That truth is a very welcome one to a whole lot of people.
But change doesn't stop with our physical world. We experience myriad life adjustments from the moment we are born. From the cradle to the grave, we are incessantly going through the shade one day and sunshine the next. We can never tell what is coming tomorrow. It keeps life both unpredictable and predictable at the same time. We can always expect things to never remain the same!
This is reflected in the Scriptures with the phrase,
(and) it came to pass.
This phrase occurs almost four hundred times in Scripture and is a simple reminder that everything in life comes and goes. Very simply, everything in this life is transient. This world of ours does not reflect absolute permanency! That truth is a very welcome one to a whole lot of people.
I spend a significant amount of time in the developing world. In the places where I travel and teach pastors, living conditions are normally awful. Some places are worse than others, but, in general, daily life is one huge struggle. Days are filled with desperation, despair, and eventually death. For many of these individuals whom I train for ministry, what the phrase it came to pass represents is a welcome reality. It provides the certain hope that things can get better, but more than that it reminds them that one day things are going to get a lot better, better than they have ever known before!
I happen to think that is why change is such a welcome thing in our world. It gives a sinful, corrupted planet the hope that one day real change will happen. I'm not talking about the seasons of time or of our lives themselves, but the actual essence of our world and our future. Paul anticipated this transformational change in the coming of Jesus Christ back to our desperate planet by saying,
Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
In case you are wondering, the promise of Christ's return is not the question, it's simply a matter of when. When He comes every crooked path is going to be made straight. So I've got a good principle to help all of us to patiently wait for the Lord's certain return. It will both strengthen and sober you as you carry on in this constantly changing world. The wisest man to ever grace this ever-changing planet once said:
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecc 12:13-14)
I happen to think that is why change is such a welcome thing in our world. It gives a sinful, corrupted planet the hope that one day real change will happen. I'm not talking about the seasons of time or of our lives themselves, but the actual essence of our world and our future. Paul anticipated this transformational change in the coming of Jesus Christ back to our desperate planet by saying,
Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
In case you are wondering, the promise of Christ's return is not the question, it's simply a matter of when. When He comes every crooked path is going to be made straight. So I've got a good principle to help all of us to patiently wait for the Lord's certain return. It will both strengthen and sober you as you carry on in this constantly changing world. The wisest man to ever grace this ever-changing planet once said:
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecc 12:13-14)
Comments
Post a Comment