But God . . . Change? (Romans)
Many have heard an epigram attributed to Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr but haven’t heard of this French teacher and writer of the 1800s. Until today, I would have to lump myself into the same category. The one I’m referring to is this: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” His original epigram was “the more it changes, the more it's the same thing.” Hmmm.
This is relevant yet hard to grasp. Much like life. Life is perpetually in motion. If it stops, you’re dead or decaying, yet many who claim to like change (clearing of the throat, me) will resist change that is unwanted or unsought. Life can feel like a constant changing sameness at times. I get older, gain weight, but everything still rolls on.
My life this past year has been on the rollercoaster of change. First, God called my husband (undeniably) to preach, a definite God thing. That itself required a change because with his call, I was called to minister alongside him. It was change that felt the same at that point, yet I could see the fear of the unknown creeping in. Where would God send us? The not knowing is so hard! And the waiting when you know you are supposed to go is just as difficult. Life can feel hard. That sounds familiar . . .
That call led to a preparing to leave. Leaving my church home behind. The one I’d spent a lifetime looking for, longing for. You know—the comfortable place every person longs to be with friends that feel like they’ve been forever friends, well, forever? That was a change that didn’t feel like more of the same thing, even though serving God meant being ready to go at a moment’s notice to do what He would show us.
That leaving meant more change. Leaving the music ministry I was part of at FBC. I played the piano (Did I mention I LOVED that piano?) for three services each Sunday and played for choir rehearsal on Wednesday nights and had done so for years. That was a tough one that stacked on the others and felt like if just one more thing got piled on, I might collapse from the weight of it. At that point, the change felt like more of the same thing . . . CHANGE! And I admit, I was feeling some stress—a hairline fracture maybe?
Then God sent my husband to a small country church as interim minister. More change. Different music. Different people. New. Uncomfortable. Change.
Then the church called my husband to minister there. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
They also wanted us to live in the pastorium. Change. Sell my house of fifteen years? The one my husband provided? The one my kids spent most of their childhood in? The one that I finally got the floors I’d always wanted in and had spent fifteen years remodeling? The one . . . well. I think you get the idea. Change that didn’t feel the same in any way except that it was another change.
My two youngest moved out. More change. Sameness.
Then came the moving during the last month of school. That was tough. Change.
Then the birthday party the week we finally got everything moved (only 100 of our closest friends). Finding out that night that I was going to be a grandmother. (God must really think this funny—me? A grandmother? I’m only 48 years old. My two youngest have just left the nest.)
I’ve learned and am continuing to learn that the more things change while in the service of God, the more they remain the same.
They remain the same because HE never changes even when the winds of change whirl about me and it feels like destruction is imminent. It is the same because HE supplies each need I have as I have it. (Sometimes I need reminding of this!) This change is good. I know it even when I don’t feel it. My heart will lie to me, but the trick for me is not to listen.
I will get tired of change and still crave it when things are hard. I try to run. To escape. God knows this. It is no mystery to the Creator of the universe what I think, feel, or struggle with or against. He knew before the foundations of the world the changes I would face, the pains that would come with the growth that results from the changes.
It is the BUT GOD part of my life. You know what I mean? When you’re reading along in scripture and things seem hopeless, but God intervenes? The but Gods of Abraham, Noah, Saul, David, and countless others in Scripture.
Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” I think that definitely qualifies as being change that is constant. Grass comes and goes in its season, and while the root is the same, the grass is new each year. The yield may vary, but God is our constant. He never changes even when seasons of death enter into our lives, when seasons of migration occur. When everything looks hopelessly unfamiliar, God is not to the one who has claimed the salvation He freely offers in Christ.
Romans is full of but Gods as well: Romans 5:8, 6:23, 8:9 . . . all of these remind me that God demonstrated His love for me through change. Jesus willingly gave up heaven to come to earth to die for sinners who were lost in the depravity of their sin. Romans reminds me that regardless of the changes that come, nothing can separate me from His love, so as long as I have that, I can embrace the changes that come my way and thrive in the midst of them.
This is relevant yet hard to grasp. Much like life. Life is perpetually in motion. If it stops, you’re dead or decaying, yet many who claim to like change (clearing of the throat, me) will resist change that is unwanted or unsought. Life can feel like a constant changing sameness at times. I get older, gain weight, but everything still rolls on.
My life this past year has been on the rollercoaster of change. First, God called my husband (undeniably) to preach, a definite God thing. That itself required a change because with his call, I was called to minister alongside him. It was change that felt the same at that point, yet I could see the fear of the unknown creeping in. Where would God send us? The not knowing is so hard! And the waiting when you know you are supposed to go is just as difficult. Life can feel hard. That sounds familiar . . .
That call led to a preparing to leave. Leaving my church home behind. The one I’d spent a lifetime looking for, longing for. You know—the comfortable place every person longs to be with friends that feel like they’ve been forever friends, well, forever? That was a change that didn’t feel like more of the same thing, even though serving God meant being ready to go at a moment’s notice to do what He would show us.
That leaving meant more change. Leaving the music ministry I was part of at FBC. I played the piano (Did I mention I LOVED that piano?) for three services each Sunday and played for choir rehearsal on Wednesday nights and had done so for years. That was a tough one that stacked on the others and felt like if just one more thing got piled on, I might collapse from the weight of it. At that point, the change felt like more of the same thing . . . CHANGE! And I admit, I was feeling some stress—a hairline fracture maybe?
Then God sent my husband to a small country church as interim minister. More change. Different music. Different people. New. Uncomfortable. Change.
Then the church called my husband to minister there. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
They also wanted us to live in the pastorium. Change. Sell my house of fifteen years? The one my husband provided? The one my kids spent most of their childhood in? The one that I finally got the floors I’d always wanted in and had spent fifteen years remodeling? The one . . . well. I think you get the idea. Change that didn’t feel the same in any way except that it was another change.
My two youngest moved out. More change. Sameness.
Then came the moving during the last month of school. That was tough. Change.
Then the birthday party the week we finally got everything moved (only 100 of our closest friends). Finding out that night that I was going to be a grandmother. (God must really think this funny—me? A grandmother? I’m only 48 years old. My two youngest have just left the nest.)
I’ve learned and am continuing to learn that the more things change while in the service of God, the more they remain the same.
They remain the same because HE never changes even when the winds of change whirl about me and it feels like destruction is imminent. It is the same because HE supplies each need I have as I have it. (Sometimes I need reminding of this!) This change is good. I know it even when I don’t feel it. My heart will lie to me, but the trick for me is not to listen.
I will get tired of change and still crave it when things are hard. I try to run. To escape. God knows this. It is no mystery to the Creator of the universe what I think, feel, or struggle with or against. He knew before the foundations of the world the changes I would face, the pains that would come with the growth that results from the changes.
It is the BUT GOD part of my life. You know what I mean? When you’re reading along in scripture and things seem hopeless, but God intervenes? The but Gods of Abraham, Noah, Saul, David, and countless others in Scripture.
Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” I think that definitely qualifies as being change that is constant. Grass comes and goes in its season, and while the root is the same, the grass is new each year. The yield may vary, but God is our constant. He never changes even when seasons of death enter into our lives, when seasons of migration occur. When everything looks hopelessly unfamiliar, God is not to the one who has claimed the salvation He freely offers in Christ.
Romans is full of but Gods as well: Romans 5:8, 6:23, 8:9 . . . all of these remind me that God demonstrated His love for me through change. Jesus willingly gave up heaven to come to earth to die for sinners who were lost in the depravity of their sin. Romans reminds me that regardless of the changes that come, nothing can separate me from His love, so as long as I have that, I can embrace the changes that come my way and thrive in the midst of them.
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