Hebrews 13:8: The Unchanging Anchor Amidst the Changing Storm

Hebrews 13:8.. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

How many of you like change? If I were to guess, I would certainly guess that not many of you enjoy when things change. Some changes are good, but even good changes can oftentimes bring stress and anxiety because we must get used to something that is new for us. Such things like starting a new chapter of life, having a loved one pass away, getting a new job, or things like these are ultimately changes that a lot of times we do not enjoy. Although all of these changes are ultimately for our good (Romans 8:28), oftentimes it is hard to trust God amidst the change. So, how do we bear the load of change? How do we weather the great storm of chaos and changing circumstances? Answer: we cling to the anchor that is the unchanging God.

Hebrews 13:8 tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." In other words, Jesus never changes even though your circumstances might. Oftentimes we hear this doctrine, that is, the unchangingness of God, but let us make it a bit more personal this morning. What does it mean that God is unchanging? Well, it means that the promises he made to you before (yesteray) will still be true in the present (today) as well as in the future (forever). For example, if Jesus promised you yesterday that he is working out all situations for the good of your sanctificaiton (Romans 8:28), that promise will remain true today as well as forever--no matter what your current circumstance looks like. Furthermore, if God promised that he loved you yesterday, he will certainly love you today and forever, no matter how much you change. Jesus Christ is the unchanging God, which means that his promises are unchanging as well. Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, which is our unchanging anchor amidst the changing storm.

For me, this devotion is very personal. When I went to college, everything changed. At home, I knew everyone. It was hard for me to go anywhere in Walworth County without running into someone I knew. But when I went to college, I did not know a single person. Furthemore, Louisville, Kentucky was a lot different from Williams Bay, Wisconsin. My living arrangements were different, my college classes were different from my high school classes, my responsibilities changed (I was an adult now!), and many other things changed as well. However, there was one and only one constant that never changed: Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, when I came back from school, I had the same problem. I got so used to and excited about college that when I came back I wanted to tell everyone about it. Although my parents and my friends certainly listened and cared about my stories, they had no clue what I was talking about. They didn't know who Dr. Baise was, where the Sampey Commons were, how chapel worked, or anything else. No one was the same, once again, everything was different--everything changed. Once again, I found myself having to lean on the one thing that did not change: Jesus Christ.

Amidst the past five months of college I've found that I've truly had to lean on Christ and on Christ alone because he is the only thing that does not change. Today, I encourage you to do the same. Although your parents, friends, circumstances, and whatever else may look like they can hold you up, ultimately, they cannot. You know why? Because they change. People change, circumstances change, lives change, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

So, cling to Christ this morning. Let him be your unchanging anchor amidst this changing world.

"On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." - Edward Mote, 1834

P.S. If you would like more encouragement in this area, click here: Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor