Have you ever noticed that "You haven't changed a bit," is sometimes both a compliment and insult? Said by a friend we haven't seen for a while, it may be a compliment that we are essentially the same person they knew so well some time ago. Said by someone near and dear to us in an argument, it may indicate that our behavior needs an amendment.
I've been ruminating on Malachi 3:6: "I the Lord do not change." What exactly does that mean? And what does it mean that we humans are constantly in a state of change? If we are created in the image of God, how has sin warped us that we are in constant flux?
We pride ourselves on evolving and changing as we age. At the same time, we hate change in our lives - we hate new things sprung on us at work, someone sitting in our seat at church, and (I at least) loathe changing hairstyles.
God does not change. He remains the same loving, merciful and holy being He always was. He does not change his mind. He does not recant his promises. He is committed to going the distance for those He loves.
On the other hand, we promise and fail to follow through. We lie to others and ourselves. Our emotions change and we over-react. We leave a loving God and chase after people and things that cannot satisfy. We change by growing ever closer to perfection during our journey here on earth, but we never achieve perfection this side of heaven.
But God, our ever-constant companion, has promised perfection and holiness to us if we love and honor Him alone. In the end, we achieve the unchanging by changing from our sin.
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