We are living in strange times and rapidly moving into even stranger times. The fickleness of people keeps us wondering if it will ever settle down?
The very word, fickle, sets my thought in order this morning.
Fickle “…changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties, interests, or affection…”. This is what I’m talking about! We will never settle down as long as life changes as frequently, and rapidly, as it is doing these days. You never know if the person you’ve called a friend will be the same person tomorrow! Equally, that ol’ standby will be rejected because the world is acting weirdly! What is adored today will be canceled tomorrow. Abhorred is now adored. Up is down, forward is back, and left is now right.
Weirdly fickle!
Where’s My Stability?
In the darkness of the night, we search for light. Through our lost ways, we stretch for stability found just out of our grasp. Who do I turn to? Where do I run? (Sound familiar?) Wait… There is a rock! Stable through the generations of human history. Let it bring “me” into focus.
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
(Malachi 3:6 KJV)
The warning here is to not think that God is changing just because he has not meted out his judgment. Even in changing times, the Ancient of Days is not changing to adapt to us. We must change to adapt to Him. Sin is still sinning even when it’s accepted by humanity and lauded for the courage to become “normal” in this fickle time.
A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
(Psalms 90:1 KJV)
Though it’s found in the Psalms, this is a prayer of Moses and is the only Psalms so noted. It has been said that this is an ancient writing that easily comes from the times when Moses was being denied the privilege of entering into the promised land. If God can prevent his servant from gaining the prize of a lifetime, he can also stop us in our tracks. That’s why we must stay in tune with God’s plan!
God’s Plan
Still, there’s something about understanding the long-range plan of God that remains stable even when humanity is acting so weird.
Paul describes the arrival of Jesus as coming in the “fulness of time“. (Galatians 4:4) In other words, God’s timing… Could it not be said that we are also facing God’s timing for the ending of it all?
Many years ago, I’ve shared this often, a man would come to my bible study at work and bemoan the weirdness of the times. This was in the early ’90s. Just about weekly, for 3.5 years, I would reply with something like, “It’s supposed to get worse before it gets better.” “Yeah. You got a point.” Could it be that we ain’t seen nothing yet? The worse the times become, the closer I feel we are getting to the closure of God’s time. After all. He created it all, and he can end it all when he says it’s time.
But until then, my heart will go on singing…
(I hear my dad singing this!)
Yes, until then, with joy, I’ll carry on!
Until that day my eyes behold the city.
Until the day, God calls me home!
I want to live my life according to the Plan of God. No matter how fickle this world becomes. This world is not my home. I’m just passing through!