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Nov 18, 2004
One Thing's For Certain
From On Your Own feature by M. Wayne Brown
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Isaiah 55:6,8-9 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD . "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Jesus is the same yesterday, today & forever, yet He is not predictable & His ways are not our ways. How can this be?
Has God ever surprised you? Has He ever revealed himself to be stronger or bigger than expected? How then can He be the same?
Here's a good example from the above article to think about.
1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
___________
Thank You Lord that we can count on Your unchanging nature, You unfailing love for each of us. Let each of us rest in this knowledge, especially when we don't understand or things appear not to make sense. Remind each of us that we can only see 'the part' now. Thank You that You are all knowing and seeing. In the name of Jesus Christ.
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Nov 18, 2004
One Thing's For Certain
From On Your Own feature by M. Wayne Brown
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Isaiah 55:6,8-9 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD . "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Jesus is the same yesterday, today & forever, yet He is not predictable & His ways are not our ways. How can this be?
Has God ever surprised you? Has He ever revealed himself to be stronger or bigger than expected? How then can He be the same?
Here's a good example from the above article to think about.
Even in April
For several years I've maintained a counseling office in downtown Denver's quaint and historic Grant Street mansion. And every morning-at precisely 9:55-a slightly disheveled, gray-haired whistler has come shuffling past my garden-level window. With his tune nearly engulfed by the low, dull hum of passing cars and buses, however, I've only been able to discern that-not what-he is whistling.
Fortunately, I was sitting one day with a client who was familiar with the whistler's morning routine, when a most unusual thing happened. At 9:55 the whistler came shuffling past my window.singing! I interrupted my client midsentence (I'm not kidding about this) and said, "He's singing! The whistler is singing!" After I explained to my client that the whistler had never sung before and that it had caught me off guard, we resumed the session.
But I remained hopelessly distracted. And I conceived a plan. A deceptive, diabolical plan. The next day, before my 10:00 session, I would buy a soda from the pop machine, go lean against the stone wall bordering the sidewalk, and wait for the whistler to show himself. Then, in the guise of a therapist enjoying a brief respite from his work, I would pounce: "Why were you singing yesterday?" I'd ask. "What would possess you to change the routine? Give an account of yourself!" I'd demand.
And that (with only a few modifications in delivery) is precisely what I did.
And here is the account he gave for his behavior: "It's April."
What? I thought. It's April? What does that have to do with anything? Caught off guard yet again, all I could manage in reply was a feeble, "Of course.have a good day."
And to this day I wonder what April could possibly have to do with singing and why, to the whistler, the connection was so self-evident. "It's April," he had said so matter-of-factly.
Upon hearing this story some time later, a good friend put it in perspective: "Well, one thing's for sure," she said, "the whistler loves music."
And maybe that's the real point, after all. Either whistling or singing, the whistler's essential spirit remains consistent. I can count on him-April or not-to be caught up in song.
And so it is with Christ. Whether walking beside us on a dusty road, weeping at our tombs, laughing with our children, impaled with spikes to a cross-yes, even temporarily staving off evil or healing the sick with a mere touch-Christ's character remains intact. He is unchanging. His ways are not our ways. No, He's not predictable. But He's unfathomably, most certainly, dependable. He's been there. He knows what He's doing. We can count on it.
For several years I've maintained a counseling office in downtown Denver's quaint and historic Grant Street mansion. And every morning-at precisely 9:55-a slightly disheveled, gray-haired whistler has come shuffling past my garden-level window. With his tune nearly engulfed by the low, dull hum of passing cars and buses, however, I've only been able to discern that-not what-he is whistling.
Fortunately, I was sitting one day with a client who was familiar with the whistler's morning routine, when a most unusual thing happened. At 9:55 the whistler came shuffling past my window.singing! I interrupted my client midsentence (I'm not kidding about this) and said, "He's singing! The whistler is singing!" After I explained to my client that the whistler had never sung before and that it had caught me off guard, we resumed the session.
But I remained hopelessly distracted. And I conceived a plan. A deceptive, diabolical plan. The next day, before my 10:00 session, I would buy a soda from the pop machine, go lean against the stone wall bordering the sidewalk, and wait for the whistler to show himself. Then, in the guise of a therapist enjoying a brief respite from his work, I would pounce: "Why were you singing yesterday?" I'd ask. "What would possess you to change the routine? Give an account of yourself!" I'd demand.
And that (with only a few modifications in delivery) is precisely what I did.
And here is the account he gave for his behavior: "It's April."
What? I thought. It's April? What does that have to do with anything? Caught off guard yet again, all I could manage in reply was a feeble, "Of course.have a good day."
And to this day I wonder what April could possibly have to do with singing and why, to the whistler, the connection was so self-evident. "It's April," he had said so matter-of-factly.
Upon hearing this story some time later, a good friend put it in perspective: "Well, one thing's for sure," she said, "the whistler loves music."
And maybe that's the real point, after all. Either whistling or singing, the whistler's essential spirit remains consistent. I can count on him-April or not-to be caught up in song.
And so it is with Christ. Whether walking beside us on a dusty road, weeping at our tombs, laughing with our children, impaled with spikes to a cross-yes, even temporarily staving off evil or healing the sick with a mere touch-Christ's character remains intact. He is unchanging. His ways are not our ways. No, He's not predictable. But He's unfathomably, most certainly, dependable. He's been there. He knows what He's doing. We can count on it.
1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
___________
Thank You Lord that we can count on Your unchanging nature, You unfailing love for each of us. Let each of us rest in this knowledge, especially when we don't understand or things appear not to make sense. Remind each of us that we can only see 'the part' now. Thank You that You are all knowing and seeing. In the name of Jesus Christ.
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