2003-03-21 - Things Have Changed, or Have They?

On Wednesday, March 18th 2003, things changed for citizens of the United States and Iraq, when the United States military launched "Operation Iraqui Freedom." And further changes will follow. People will stockpile supplies. Police forces will be short of officers who have been called to duty. Some governmental workers will face longer hours. Civilians in Iraq will be living in a state of war. The U.S. stock market will fluctuate. Travelers will face new restrictions. Some businesses and owners will suffer, while others thrive.

But the most important things will not change.

God, Christ and the Holy Spirit will never change. No matter what happens with war or peace, He will still be loving, sovereign and omnipotent. His power never wanes. He never sleeps; He is watching over all the soldiers who are fighting to obtain freedom, all the civilians who are fearful for their lives, the loved ones of the military personnel who are deployed - everyone everywhere, at every time. His sacrifice is totally sufficient for our salvation forever.

Hebrews 13:8 (NASB) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

We still have the love of our families and friends. In fact, sometimes during times of stress, we attain or regain a sense of perspective, realizing that love is the most important thing we have on this Earth.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 & 8a (The Message) If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love....Love never dies.

We still need to be about our Father's business. God has given each of us a mission(s) to fulfill. Our mission(s) may be raising a family, serving as a secretary, teaching a Sunday School class, teaching impressionable youth, working at a "secular" job in a way that glorifies God, taking care of seriously ill people or something else. Whatever God has for us to do, we need to continue to faithfully do it. As we Americans used to say in the 70s, we need to "keep on truckin'!"

Ecclesiastes 9:10a (NASB) Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

While we should pray for all affected by the war, as well as guidance for our leaders, we also need to remember that the most important things are not changing. We can rest securely in God's love and sovereignty, and if we have that - we have nothing to fear.

Jan

 jan@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org