He never changes...thank goodness!

While watching the sunrise once again on this beautiful Sunday morning, I came across the most interesting verse:  I am God. I do not change. That is why you are not destroyed (Malachi 3:6).   At first I was thrown off.  ‘Wow Lord, that’s pretty intense.’  But I laid my head back, trying to pause for a minute to let the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, and I came to see, after studying the phrasing (notice the periods) that this verse is not designed to scare us half to death but instead to demonstrate the intensity with which God loves his children.

When you break it down, God is making a very powerful promise to the children of Israel. In the midst of their continued disobediences, the only reason they are still standing is because of the height, depth, breadth and width of his astounding love and outrageous mercy and grace.  He’s saying that this extravagant love will NEVER change…because he’s God Almighty and he DOES NOT change, NOT because they said ‘I’m sorry and I’ll try harder next time.’  And, true to form, there was a next time and a next time and a next time (if you don’t trust me, read the Books of History in the Old Testament as well as all of the books considered the Major and Minor Prophets).

Now my tendency, as a recovering legalist, is to look down on the foolish behavior of the children of Israel; or, for that matter, look down on anyone who sins a lot.  But wait a minute...I sin a lot. I constantly have to ‘say sorry’ to the Lord and, true to form, there’s a next time and a next time and a next time (and a next time).  Sound familiar?

But the promise God made to his people stands the test of time for you and for me. His love goes on and on even as our wrong doings go on and on. His mercy is never-ending just like our failures are never-ending. His grace is amazing in the same way that the depth of our selfishness and pride and self-righteous is amazing.

God is faithful even when we’re not.  Thank heavens he never changes.