Changeable

Kevin Hogg

I am looking out the window and waiting for our weather to improve. If you have been in Auckland for any length of time, you realise that Spring time in Auckland is fickle. We get a hint of the warmer days to come, then winter like events intrude to remind you of what it is capable of doing.

For those who don’t know Auckland weather, it is usually temperate. Our winter lows are about 2deg C (Clear skies, frosty mornings – usually pretty rare these days) to overcast and cold about 12 deg C. Our summers max out about 28-30 deg C, so compared to most, temperate at best. In essence , Summer is warm and moist (humid), Autumn is the most settled (cooler nights but warm days), Winter is cold and wet, Spring is stormy and wet. In essence Auckland involves various stages of moisture .

It got me thinking, unlike our weather or humanity, God is not fickle. We have a saying “they change their mind like their underwear” and it is true some people are fickle others are resolute (presenting another set of problems).

I am not a fan of politicians of any type for this very reason. They are prone to changing their stripes when it suits them with often disastrous consequences.

Let’s put it another way. In an effort to avoid the expense of buying a new vehicle, I once bought an older van and replaced the engine. In my mind, this would be the next best thing to having a new van. My plan was working like a charm until the transmission started slipping. Shortly after I replaced my transmission, the drive shaft literally fell off while I was driving down the highway. The problems cascaded into a series of minor and not so minor issues until I finally couldn’t afford my van anymore. I sold it for a fraction of what I had put into it just to stop the bleeding. Sometimes things don’t turn out according to our plans. That’s because, being human, our best intentions are often flawed.

Praise be to God that he is not. Imagine a fickle God with his abilities. Our world would be in chaos. Humanity would have been wiped out over and over and again. Assuming he would be bothered to kick start us again given our propensity to get things so wrong.

God’s consistency has created an environment in a variety of different ways in which to flourish and grow.

Psalm 55:19 – God will hear and answer them, Even the one who sits enthroned from of old— Selah.

With whom there is no change.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James 1:16-18

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 1 Peter 1:23