We Worship and Serve an Unchanging God
Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8
Thirty years ago sitting in Nigeria on my own feeling sorry for myself, when Sandra and the boys were at home in N. Ireland – after she had to be invalided home because of illness – and I had little or no contact – no telephone, no internet, and very poor postal service. I didn’t know how things were at home.
I was living on my own with no Europeans or missionaries nearby. And for three months I was living in a mud house with rats and mice everywhere – no running water, no bath, no indoor toilet and poor cooking facilities.
I had the radio on for company as I was preparing notes for the collage. I can’t remember if it was a Christian radio station like FEBA or a cassette tape and I don’t remember who was speaking but I’ll always remember one statement that was said, “We worship and serve an unchanging God.”
What a message of encouragement to receive in that situation. That statement has influenced my life for many years.
Someone said to me the other day, ‘time makes changes’. There are tremendous changes throughout the world in country after country. Maybe sometimes we see these changes and think little about them, little realizing the tremendous significance of some of them.
It’s estimated that 70% of all the items in your supermarket didn’t exist ten years ago. Processed foods and microwaves replaced much of the cooking.
The “I will” of Rest
Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
The word “rest”, is one of those words that can be expressed in a variety of ways. “Rest” is defined as “to relax, take a break, be at peace, be at ease or have a time of refreshment.” The Bible often speaks of rest, beginning with the week when God created all things. We are told how the work of creation was completed in six days and then, “he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done (Genesis 2:2). God rested, not because He was tired but simply stopped what He was doing, to set the example for mankind to follow. The fourth of the Ten Commandments made resting on the Sabbath a requirement of the Law (Exodus 20:8-11).
The command to rest was not an excuse to be lazy. Man and beast were to work for six days and then rest on the Sabbath day. The land also needed to rest (Leviticus 25:4, 8-12). Many people feel they must be constantly working, seven days a week, to achieve all they want to do. However, God instructs us to rest because of the advantages it gives.
For the Christian, the greatest and most meaningful rest is found in Christ. He invites “all who labour and are heavy laden,” to come to Him (Matthew 11:28) and cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). It is only in Him that we find absolute rest. The Jews were constantly struggling and labouring in an effort to make their lives acceptable to God. They were trying to obey many restrictions imposed upon them by obeying their ceremonial laws, but it is Christ alone who makes atonement for sin. . “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
‘I will’ never leave you
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever … I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me” (John 14:15, 18-19).
Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus revealed to His disciples that He was not going to be on this earth much longer. We are told He “knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father” (John 13:1). He washed His disciples’ feet before He would leave to show them an example in love and humility.
After this Jesus gave the unexpected news, “Yet a little while and the world will see me no more.” The news that Jesus was about to leave them came as a great surprise to His disciples. Who was going to be their new leader? Would the work now collapse? Could they even consider carrying on the ministry without Jesus being with them?
If Jesus should leave and never return it would be a great loss to His disciples. However, when Peter asked where He was going Jesus replied, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards” (John 13:36).
Jesus assured them that though He was leaving them, it was only for a while. He promised that He would return for His people, and that they would live with Him forever.
The Promise of someone to help usJesus comforted His disciples by letting them know that He was not going to forget them. He was going to leave them, but would send the Helper to be with them. Notice to whom this statement was addressed – it included Peter, who would soon deny knowing Jesus, and also Thomas, who would express his doubts about Jesus’ resurrection.