Today’s post is a guest post from Pastor Jim Buckman. Pastor Buckman serves as an urban missionary in New Jersey and is the author of iPray. His latest project is ahouseofprayer.net – an online web app to help you find a church to pray with you. You can also download the iPrayU app on your iPhone or Android.
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” (Genesis 12:4)
Somebody first said, “The only constant in life is change.” As you back over your life, you will see the truth of this observation. There has been a never ending stream of change in technology, sports, entertainment, public values, cost of living, the ethnic makeup of communities, and so much more.
Today people in America are living longer than ever before; meaning that on average, we will see more change than anyone who has come before us. In 2013, there were 571,612 patent applications, compare this with 1963 (just 50 years earlier) when there were 85,869 patent applications. This is almost a seven-fold increase! And the trend line shows no slow down.
Change can be challenging for anyone, old and young alike. A first born child is both a blessing and a big change. Your second employer will be a place to put to work lessons learned while at the same time having your eyes more open to the reality of how fluid and unsettled the labor force can be. Getting your AARP card comes at the ridiculously early age of fifty, but it is never too early to be reminded that tomorrow is promised to no person.
When Jesus sent out His disciples He said these words, “As you are going…” (Matthew 10:7) The first Christians were called followers of “the Way” which speaks to the journey of following Jesus who describes Himself as “the Way”.
And as great as this creation is, we need to remember the Apostle Paul’s words:
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens… So we are always of good courage. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9).
Martin Luther said that God left space between our fingers so that money would more easily pass through our hands and we would not hold onto it so tightly.
It is interesting to read in Genesis 11 that Abraham’s father, Terah had started out for Canaan, but never got there, choosing to settle down in Haran instead. The idea of going to Canaan was not new to Abraham; he had grown up hearing his dad talk about his own hopes as a young man. At the age of seventy-five, Abraham could have chosen to finish his life – like his father had – and been buried in Haran also.
What dreams did you have as a child? What were your hopes as a young adult? Where did you and your spouse talk about visiting when you first married? What burnt bridges have you always wanted to repair? What needs have you felt called to help? What do you admire most about your parent’s faith?
Who do you know that is going through challenging changes? Add them to your prayer list. Change is constant, be constant in prayer; God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is our rock and fortress – a strong tower you can run to when the change is too much.
God is bringing change in your life; embrace it, trust Him and enjoy the trip with Him.
Cheri says
Trusting Him is easy,but enjoying the change is hard when you are in the middle of the storm.