Are You Ready For Change?

Change is in the air – can you feel it?

A change of season approaches with cooler nights and shorter days. Our flora and fauna change – fall flowers wear deeper hues and trees sport orange, gold and red leaves. Animals grow thicker coats instinctively preparing for winter. Change is part of our world. Genesis 8:22 says, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.”

Nobody experienced more change than Noah and his family. The global flood changed the face of the earth. Nothing remained the same except for those on the ark. They must have felt as though they were stepping out on an alien planet. Nevertheless, Almighty God was there with His covenant and rainbow. He was their one unwavering constant who says, “I am the Lord, I change not.”

Years later, Abraham and Sarah faced major change. “…The Lord had said to Abram:  ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.’” Abram obeyed and made the long and grueling trek to Canaan, where God appeared and proclaimed, “To your descendants I will give this land.” But first, they would endure four hundred years of slavery in Egypt.

With a mighty hand, the Lord delivered Israel from Egypt to fulfill His promise. Poised on the edge of this Promised Land, Israel heard disturbing news from their leader, Moses.  God had declared his time as leader was finished and the Israelites would be following another into the land.

Imagine their shock and dismay. Could they trust another leader? Would he lead as well as Moses? What changes would come? Undeniably, God was with Moses. But, would He be with this new leader?

Thankfully, our Omniscient Creator knows that while sometimes change excites sometimes it causes anxiety. God had handpicked Joshua, son of Nun, to lead Israel into the Promised Land.

“Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it…the Lord…will be with you…”

After Moses’ death, God appeared to Joshua and said, “…as I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will not leave you or forsake you…Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go.”

This God, who doesn’t change is our God too. We experience much change in our lifetime and He is our one unwavering constant. Above Him, there is no other Savior. He goes before us saying, “Do not fear; in Me, there is peace, but only change and tribulation in the world. So, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. I, Jesus Christ, am the same yesterday, today, and forever. As I was with Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and Joshua, I am with you.”

For further study please see the following Scripture:  Malachi 3:6;  Genesis 6-8, Genesis 12:1-7;  Deuteronomy 31:7-8;  Joshua 1:5-9;  Isaiah 43:11;  John 16:33;  Hebrews 13:8