“He will be the stability of your times.” (Isaiah 33:6 ESV)
Fall is a season of change—everything from the color of leaves to new routines. Lazy days of summer filled with picnics, backyard barbecues, and impromptu softball games are replaced with schedules filled with soccer and music lessons along with new classes and teachers. Though change can be exciting, sometimes it’s disruptive and even scary.
I recall our move years ago from Washington state to California, necessitated by my husband’s unemployment and need for a new job. As the mother of an infant and preschooler at that time, I didn’t want to leave my parents and sisters. Sensing the upcoming changes, our three-year-old daughter asked, “Will we get a new God too?”
Thankfully, I could respond, “No, we will never get a new God. He remains the same.” Her question reminded me of the reassuring verse, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV).
Even so, I cried when we moved. But God had good friends and new experiences prepared for us in California that helped us grow and mature. Six years later, when it was time to return to Seattle, I cried to leave the first home we had owned and the new friends we had made. But, again, God had planned many wonderful times ahead for us.
What about you? Are you facing changes and new beginnings? As I grow older, I prefer familiar routines, and change becomes more challenging. But I’m glad my words to our preschool daughter years ago still ring true: We never get a new God. So no matter what you or I face, God is the stability of our times (Isaiah 33:6).
Thank You, Heavenly Father, that we are never alone. You are always with us and go before us. Thank You for the stability You add to our lives. We trust You and depend on You for the new beginnings we face now and in the future. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
About Lydia Harris
Lydia E. Harris is happily married to Milt, her sweetheart for 48 years. She has two married children, five grandkids, and is the author of a Bible study, "Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting" (AMG Publishers, 2010 release). She's also a tea enthusiast and writes the column "A Cup of Tea with Lydia."
