God is Consistent
Psalm 71:3 - "In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress" (NIV).
Psalm 102:25-27 - "Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever" (NIV).
Malachi 3:6-7 - “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. 'But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’" (NIV).
Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV).
God keeps showing up. He is completely reliable. When all of life seems to be unsteady and unpredictable, you can count on God to remain the same. Having said this, He is not controllable like a robot. He chooses to remain constant in His attitude and affection towards you. God does not have mood swings or sudden outbursts of anger. You will always know what to expect in His disposition toward you. God always means what He says. And He always follows through on His words.
Sometimes, Christians think that God changed His attitude toward humans between the two biblical testaments. In the Old Testament, God can seem harsh, almost whimsical in his dealings with mankind. In the New Testament, some say that God, as revealed in Jesus, is pure love. How can these two perceptions of God go together? The truth is that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). The God of the Old Testament is deeply in love with His world, continually calling people back to Himself (Hosea 1-3). He has always desired our wholehearted love, rather than religious obedience (Psa. 51:16-17). And we also see that God is always completely just in His ways - in both Old and New Testaments (Luke 19:45-46). The love and justice of God is consistent over the whole of history. He does not change.
Is it possible for God to change His mind (Exo. 32:9-14)? In Scripture we see several examples of how God dialogues with humans. He allows Himself to be swayed by them. In fact, God invites this process with His people (Ezek. 22:30). It is a great wonder why God chooses to work with and through His people. Yet He does. God is relational and desires to dialogue with us. He wants to hear our heart. God alone has the capacity to hold the past and future in His hands, and at the same time, be fully engaged in our present situation. There is no conflict for Him in this. God invites the dialogue with us, calling us to work with Him, to petition Him for change (Gen. 18:16-33; Exo. 32:9-14; Psa. 2:8; Ezek. 22:30; Luke 18:1-8).
For More Study
Thoughts and Questions for Application
Memorization
Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV).
Psalm 102:25-27 - "Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever" (NIV).
Malachi 3:6-7 - “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. 'But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’" (NIV).
Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV).
God keeps showing up. He is completely reliable. When all of life seems to be unsteady and unpredictable, you can count on God to remain the same. Having said this, He is not controllable like a robot. He chooses to remain constant in His attitude and affection towards you. God does not have mood swings or sudden outbursts of anger. You will always know what to expect in His disposition toward you. God always means what He says. And He always follows through on His words.
Sometimes, Christians think that God changed His attitude toward humans between the two biblical testaments. In the Old Testament, God can seem harsh, almost whimsical in his dealings with mankind. In the New Testament, some say that God, as revealed in Jesus, is pure love. How can these two perceptions of God go together? The truth is that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). The God of the Old Testament is deeply in love with His world, continually calling people back to Himself (Hosea 1-3). He has always desired our wholehearted love, rather than religious obedience (Psa. 51:16-17). And we also see that God is always completely just in His ways - in both Old and New Testaments (Luke 19:45-46). The love and justice of God is consistent over the whole of history. He does not change.
Is it possible for God to change His mind (Exo. 32:9-14)? In Scripture we see several examples of how God dialogues with humans. He allows Himself to be swayed by them. In fact, God invites this process with His people (Ezek. 22:30). It is a great wonder why God chooses to work with and through His people. Yet He does. God is relational and desires to dialogue with us. He wants to hear our heart. God alone has the capacity to hold the past and future in His hands, and at the same time, be fully engaged in our present situation. There is no conflict for Him in this. God invites the dialogue with us, calling us to work with Him, to petition Him for change (Gen. 18:16-33; Exo. 32:9-14; Psa. 2:8; Ezek. 22:30; Luke 18:1-8).
For More Study
- Exodus 32:1-14
- Psalm 102 (esp. vv. 26-27)
- James 1:13-18
Thoughts and Questions for Application
- Does God's consistency comfort you? In what way?
- Are you a consistent person? In attitudes, in showing love to others? Where could you grow in being consistent?
- Do you ever think about "swaying God's heart" in intercession? How is your prayer life affected when you believe that you can work with God… that your prayers really make a difference?
Memorization
Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV).
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