God's Unchanging Purpose

-



Scripture

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,
(Hebrews 6:17 NASB)
so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.
(Hebrews 6:18 NASB)
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
(Hebrews 6:19 NASB)
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
(Hebrews 6:20 NASB)

 

Observation

In a world in which there seem to be many variables on a daily basis there is one who does not change, and that is God. God has promised faithful humanity that there is a purpose -- and that his purpose for us is unchangeable and therefore we press on in our relationship with him. The hope, he says, is within the veil -- and here comes the big clue. What is within the veil? The Holy of Holies! Jesus, through his incarnation, has become human and has provided the pathway for all of us to be transformed like him so that we too can follow him into the Holy of Holies. The purpose of God is for us to be able to enter into that very holy and sacred space and fellowship with him. The methodology and other external variables in life may change, but God's desire for us to share with him in an intimate relationship beyond the veil will not change.

 

Application


Of course we must become concerned about the factors which may keep us from this unchangeable truth of God. Along the way the Israelites became distracted and they did not keep up their end of bargain. They were unfaithful by worshiping other gods. I am concerned about what it is that distracts me from this journey. Am I faithful to God on a daily basis or do I allow the things of this world to crowd in around me? What do I spend my time, my energy and my finances on regularly? What would these things tell about my fidelity to God? God has promised on his very nature that he will be faithful! The purpose is laid out before us -- we are to enter into the Holy of Holies and abide there with him. All that we do in life is to be done out of the relationship which exists in the Holy of Holies. We may feel compelled to do good things and to help others, but if those are done outside of the Holy of Holies, then even these good things can become a distraction to the real purpose and intent of life. Only when we experience intimacy with Christ in the Holy of Holies can we go out and interact with our world in the way that Christ would truly desire. The goal must always come first.

The world around us is changing at lightening speed -- but God's purpose for us will never change. That's a comforting thought we can hang onto in the midst of chaos which may reign around us.

 

Prayer


Lord, please help me to keep from being distracted by the world around me -- and to keep my focus on you. Amen.

Comments

  1. ZeeJuly 9, 2012 at 7:52 AM

    Amen to that! It is so cool and comforting to know that God doesn't change and neither do His promises. Otherwise, it would be an utter chaos (and probably no humans left alive...)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more