KP: Change

KP Writes:

I woke up early this AM after a fitful night's sleep. My first thoughts...I'm awake, AGAIN....probably can't go back to sleep.....ohh, my head is THROBBING.....that SOUND-ugh, that is a snow plow!

Ashamedly, not glorious praise for our Creator who breathed life into me and loves me unconditionally. I repent. But, a good starting point for my Heavenly Father to speak volumes that I know are not just for me, hence the blog post.

To start with, you need context. Yesterday was incredible. It was 67 degrees, partly sunny and a beautiful promise of the spring to come. Jeff was able to put on shorts and remove the icicle lights from the house. Wow, there is life after winter in MO. But wait a minute. Do not rush into excitement. Around 4pm the wind began to blow ferociously. Clouds began to move in. By 10 pm it had dropped 35 degrees, the wind was whipping and snow was beginning to accumulate on the ground. Hence, with large swing in barometric pressure I have a pounding headache. And the grinding sound of the snowplow up and down the streets of the neighborhood is due to the fact that there are currently 3.5 inches of snow on the ground. 'They' are calling for what could total about a foot of snow by tomorrow!!! The current temperature is 29 with a wind chill of 17 degrees. Not to worry, the forecast predicts 60 for Wednesday, just 4 days from now. Whew...change!

Change. Why is it annoying? Why do we dislike it? I think the Lord was cautioning me this morning with the words that came after my less than perfect start. Deeper introspection yielded the only possible reasons I could really come up with for the dislike of change: because it disrupts my plans, goes against my appreciation of what I deem good and bad, and causes insecurity in my trust for future events. Wow. Not a good reflection of the life we are called to live in Christ.

First and foremost, the Lord never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is trustworthy. However, when we become too comfortable with status quo, too set in our ways, we have 'no need' of Him. It's all good-so we say, and we do life on our own, in our own way-our own plans. That seemingly works, until, along comes change. Something we hadn't planned on or prepared for. Something we did not choose. The change is not what we had 'wanted' therefore we label it bad. Oh, the self-centeredness of that mindset. The idolatry of 'my way'. What about God's higher purpose? What about the testimony loving others more than ourselves, our stuff, our time, our circumstances? What about the witness of unshakable faith in a good Father amidst circumstances of change? What about the evidence of peace that passes all understanding? What about the witness of trust in an unseen God?

Change is. It has always been part of human existence. But, there have been periods of history with more significant change. We as a nation have been experiencing significant change politically, financially, economically, morally, etc...and it is increasing. We as the church in the West are experiencing great change, and more is coming. All 7 pillars of society are in a flux of change-political, economic, religious, educational, etc...Great shakings are on the horizon. What will be our reaction? Our response? What will be the testimony we give? Will we offer hope, or will be be part of the problem? Now is the time to prepare both our minds and our hearts.

It is not about us. It is about Him. His purposes. His plan. He is coming again to rule and reign on the earth. That will require and result in a great deal of change. What will be our response? What will be our testimony?

Love ya,
Kristian