Thanks Sherman (glad you are in Malaysia) for those meditations. My response at the end.
Jeremiah 17.5-10
We have heard it said many times, change is the only constant thing in life; and this is true without a doubt. We live in a finite world of material compositions; finite and material beings are susceptible to mental, emotional, physical and spiritual change. Therefore, people are inclined to change their decisions and choices by virtue of their acquisition of new knowledge that may alter their state of mind and emotions.
That is why the person whose confidence is in the Lord is considered blessed (Jer 17.7). God is not subject or susceptible to change. This includes both his nature and his decisions. God is infinite in all his natural attributes and in all his moral perfections. He is naturally all-knowing, and no new thought or intellectual view can ever cause him to change his mind about things, because nothing is ever new to him. He has only one complete consciousness that has lasted in all eternity. Hence, God is the only worthy source of our complete confidence. He loves you with a love that will never change. It can never change, because he can never change.
Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been inclined to trust in sources other than God? How can you practically alter your confidence from these other sources towards a steadfast confidence in God?
My Response:
In moments of crisis, we are tempted to grab anyone or anything externally or internally to survive. But, often we might regret because that which we thought could sustain us either is short -lived or becomes a longer term problem. In moments of comfort, we are tempted to settle in on that which sooths us and God might allow some “nudging” or “kick” so we’d take notice of Him whom we should be placing our full confidence in. It’s delicate thing, placing one’s full confidence in God doesn’t mean being suspicious of everyone or anything along our path. And yet, so often we perhaps in our naivety tend to place our confidence (maybe unconsciously) on anyone and anything other than God.
One practical thing I’ve through the years until today is my spiritual/prayer journal … Whenever, I notice the pages are empty or the dates between entries maybe sporadic .. perhaps just perhaps, I’m operating on a level of more self-confidence or relying on other sources to live day by day. One thing I do notice, that the blank pages do offer space for me to “unload” what’s inside me that may cloud my discernment whether in comfort or crisis. And in that process of “unloading” (or uploading) to God, I have space to “download” some healthy confidence – a proper confidence. 🙂
I’m fascinated by what keeps us constant, as a people, over millenia. Enduring Truth may be our anchor.
Enduring Truth, I suggest, may be a better phrase for postmodern culture than the phrase “absolute truth” that has so riddled Church/culture conversation for the past centuries.
“Absolute” presupposes we know everything, across all time, in all cultures, in all social situations. Given that even our reading and expounding of Scripture involves both unique perception and interpretation, absolute may be a word that has lost its linguistic credibility in the postmodern conversation.
Enduring Truth says that there are truths that have been shown to endure and bring societal health across all time, all people in all contexts. To the postmodern mind, the language of “absolute,” speaks of “we are all-seeing, like God.”
On planet Xanadu, marriage, for example, may be different. We embrace enduring truth for earth life – for example again, marriage between a man and woman, bearing children has proven to be the best long-haul expression of familial commitment.
The Scriptures uphold enduring truths. Use absolute if you like, but I believe it is both a misguided and misused term in the present. Constancy is built on enduring truth, and gives us hope that there are enduring patterns and pathways that undergird us all through suffering or celebration.
I follow Jesus, and embrace the Scriptures, not just because it’s the authority because I say so; but rather because it packed with experienced enduring truth, and therefore I believe it is inspired by God. Jesus embodies it, and I have fallen passionately in love with his way.
Enduring Truth is resilient, it bounces back, and back around to the front of the crowd. It demands attention, and always will. It sustains it’s sound despite the dampening of the culture.
I’m in. Signs, wonders and miracles have just affirmed that God is present and active in this embrace.
A few years ago, I dreamed a phrase all night long:
“Truth is self-revealing; tell it in a thousand stories.”
I choose to get good at this, passionately telling stories laced with truth, in the second half of my life. That alone may bring constancy to my great grandchildren.
Thanks Dan, I’ll be dwelling on this comment for the whole day … I love the way you put it.