Changes

 Six years ago today was our first full day of living in Dulce. My, how things have changed for us since then! Some of those changes are evident in the two pictures. One, of Kat on her bike, the day after we arrived. The other, of our family this past Sunday. Robin takes a family picture in front of church on the first Sunday of September. She took it a week early this year, because we are going to be on vacation. As you can see, not only has Kat grown in six years, but also our family, as we've added Xander and Junior. Nearly two years ago we took the boys in for foster care and recently we were named their permanent guardians. We expected Kat to grow over time but we never expected our family to grow in Dulce as well.

Life is full of many changes, some of which we can anticipate. We can see things coming down the road and plan for them. Other changes catch us by surprise. Sometimes they are pleasant and sometimes they are most unwelcome, to say the least. Changes can come along that leave us gasping for air, or barely hanging on by the tips of our fingers.

God's word never changes. God tells us that himself in Isaiah 40:8.

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."

And that reminder helps us to trust in God's promises, which being based in his word, also do not change. There are quite a few of them but I'm just going to mention one today that comes to mind, one that I am particularly fond of.

In Romans 8: 38-39 Paul ends a powerful personal testimony with these words:

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I have no ideas the changes that will take place in myself or my family over the next six years, or even the next week. But I do know that whatever they may be, for good or for ill, they will not separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus, my Savior and Lord.

And when you have faith in Jesus, that is your promise too. Don't take my word for it, but trust the word of God as he speaks those words to you. Amen.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.