CHANGE
August 2007
article by John Lockyer
June 27th proved
to be a very significant date as far as this country was concerned, for it
marked the end of Tony Blair’s ten year period as Prime Minister and his
handing over power to Gordon Brown. As
the new Prime Minister stood outside No. 10 Downing Street after his audience
with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, he stated very clearly indeed that he
intended that there would be a noticeable change in his administration – not
simply in the personnel who would be in his cabinet, but in the style,
presentation and policies he would pursue in the days ahead.
Many
commentators noted the frequency with which he used this word ‘change’ in his
initial statement, and now this word seems to have become the current ‘buzz
word’. But as we look back over the last
40 or 50 years we can see that there has been an astonishing amount of change
in every aspect of our life throughout this period. The world of commerce and trade has been
transformed by the amazing developments in technology and the means of
production. The use of the computer, the
internet and the means of travel have also played their part, and
However, as
I contemplated these developments, a phrase coined by the early 19th
century poet James Harrington Evans came to mind when he wrote: ‘There is that
changeth not’ and that declaration is consistently proclaimed throughout the
Old and New Testaments. God’s purpose
with this earth has been proclaimed as has those standards of morality by which
He expects us to conform. In these areas there can be no change, whatever our
politicians, moralists and legislators may
contemplate!
The
unchangeable purpose of God declared throughout the Bible is that Jesus, His
beloved Son, was crucified, was raised from the dead, and now sits at His
Father’s right hand in heaven; but will return to this earth in God’s good time
to rule over the whole earth, effecting far more fundamental changes than
either Gordon Brown or any other political leader can envisage.
All the
signs about us indicate that this will soon be realised! The evidence for this is frequently given in
these monthly series of articles. But
God’s requirements about the way we live are also unchangeable! This moral code was very clearly stated in
the day of Moses in what we know as the Ten Commandments. These became the standard by which many
nations set their laws and organised their governments.
God’s
requirements in no way changed with the beginning of the Christian era. In fact, the challenge went much
further! The Apostle Paul, when writing
to the early Christians in
‘…be not
conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of
God’. (Romans 12 v 2)
A modern
translation puts it like this: ‘Don’t
let the world around you squeeze you into its mould, but let God re-mould your
minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the Plan of God for
you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity’. (J B Phillips).
This
creates a paradox, because whilst God’s standards do not change, we are
called upon to change! But for those who
are willing to accept the challenge, there is the prospect of the most profound
change that can happen to any man or woman when the Lord Jesus returns to
complete God’s unchanging purpose in establishing a new world order.
The Apostle
Paul gave this wonderful prospect to the early believers at
‘Behold, I
shew you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed’.
The poet’s
words crystallise the hope which we can share:
Change is
our portion now!
Yet, midst
our changing lot,
Midst
withering flowers and tempest dear,
There is –
that changeth not.
But faithful
is God’s steadfast word –
‘I will be
with thee’, saith the Lord.