Change

I don’t like change. I’m a plodder as I’ve said. Change is hard for me. I didn’t like it when I had to be in a new class at school. I didn’t like it when the plans of the day changed. I’m a creature of habit. Being the leader is hard because things change all the time. People come and people go. Volunteers come and volunteers go. Things change. people change jobs. People change churches. Commitments change. Families change. I’ve just been through a process of change and the truth be told, I’ve had some sleepless nights waking to wonder if making a change is a good thing or not. And it’s not been easy because it’s been so public. After all, not many people have to ask a congregation for permission to make a change and endure a vote on it! We’ve been living in a time of unprecedented change. The last couple of years has been change upon change upon change. One set of new rules followed by another by another. And just when things seemed to be returning to normal, we’re now plunged once again into a change of the rules. We’ve had to organise alternative plans for the Carol Services in case things change again! This afternoon I was going to meet with my supervision group face to face for the first time in nearly two years, but now we’re doing it over Zoom…again! And the worst bit is I won’t get any Stollen Bread, which I love. Yesterday I was going to meet up with the Luke’s boys in London. It’s 35 years since we graduated from St. Luke’s, Exeter University so it would have been great to catch up with them. But I didn’t go because things have changed and I didn’t want to take the risk with the busy Christmas week coming up. I don’t like change. I don’t do it well. But change happens. And change can be good. Sometimes we need change. Sometimes I need change. But somethings don’t change. And that’s good too. Really good in fact: “I the Lord, do not change.” (Malachi 3:6). That’s really good news. In all that changes, God changes not. God is still God, whatever happens. God is still God, whatever changes. God is still as loving, still as compassionate, God is still as close and still as interested in me as he’s ever been. And that is good news. really good news. And the next part of the verse is equally good. “…therefore, you, O children of Jacob are not consumed.” (ESV) We are not consumed because God doesn’t change! The truth of the God who doesn’t change is that he holds me in all that changes around me. Whatever happens, whatever changes, good or bad, God has me. And his love for me is as strong and as close as it’s ever been. And it will not change. And I thank God for that. Just one last thing. I usually write these blogs on Tuesday. But today is Thursday. Which is a change about which I am cross with myself but because I got busy on Tuesday and forgot. But God doesn’t change and he still loves me!