"For I, the Lord, do not change..." Malachi 3:6
"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8
Recently I've been thinking a lot about the completeness of God. It's probably because I'm reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer but perhaps more significantly it's because God wanted me to do so. We would like to think we have a part, perhaps the larger part, in our salvation and entrance into heaven. Perhaps we find great control in this world, with high-paying jobs and/or great power or simply that we've got things well in hand and can rely on ourselves come what may. Perhaps we're whitty, smart, capable - jobs and relationships come easy. What need do we really have for daily bread?
I've seen recently how easy it is to hide our sin (to ourselves and/or those around us). Or even to not realize we're sinning until hindsight or the fear of getting caught. I think my entire life I've been more afraid of getting caught (by the world) than facing the consequences with God (it's death, by the way). Is it then to be supposed that I must have great faith and trust mightily in God's great grace and mercy that He will redeem me from death so then my gaze fixes on earthly consequences? I would like to hope (sort of). But I think the sad reality is, I'm so easily tossed by the wind of perceptions and others' judgements that my human small-mindedness so easily blocks me from seeing the wonderful, awesome, terrifying God.
The God who doesn't change. Sit with that for a second. He doesn't learn. He doesn't hear a different perspective and change His mind. He doesn't get mad and lash out irrationally. He doesn't grow. He doesn't know one person better than another. He has no need of anything- He is complete in Himself. The Trinity is not a tribunal deciding our fate by vote. He is three-in-one that operates in perfect unison and harmony. He does not make mistakes.
When you pray you do not change God's mind or alter what will be. He doesn't love you because He created a world that went awry and He's making the best of the situation- and you're more good than bad- and certainly better than most. That's not it at all. God has always been. He is mighty and infinitely powerful. Our yesterdays, todays and tomorrows are reigned over at all times. He is not bound by time or space or anything else.
And instead of wondering why pray, why make an effort at all, what's the point then if He and life are unchangeable? Because He is love. It's not a characteristic that decreases with irritation. He's incapable of being irritated. Love is His nature. He cannot part from it so everything He does is perfectly love. What great comfort we ought to feel in the deep vulnerability (in reality, perfect security) of knowing we control nothing and God controls all. And as His children He will love us and save us and everything will be ok. Lord, let us rest in that today and every day. Let us pray and spend time with you so that these words might grow in us and cause us to know you more and more.
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