Permanent Fixture

"The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God endures forever."

Isaiah 40:8

I could hardly keep up with the task of mowing the lawn, that's how fast the grass was growing.  It would take me three hours to complete the job including the area around the apple orchard in front of the barn.  It seemed the day after I had cut the grass, I could see that it had grown.  But that was during the Spring.  Now its Summer and we've experienced a record dry and warm season here in the Pacific Northwest.  I hardly ever have to mow because the grass has all withered and died from lack of rain.  How quickly things change.

The way people think is kind of like that grass.  One day a culture values unborn babies, the next the innocent ones in their mother's womb are being slaughtered beyond comprehension.  At one time marriage was upheld as the bedrock of our society until that belief eroded away until the foundational God-defined institution became simply a right to be held by any who wish to grasp it.  There was a time when God and His values formed the basis upon which the government was built and through which leaders operated until someone decided He was no longer relevant.

Times change, people's beliefs evolve and convictions die out.  But there is one thing that never differs no matter how much everything else shifts:  God's Word.  What does this mean for me?

Trustworthy.  Each morning I watch the sun rise up from behind the beautiful Cascade mountain range, transforming the sky into a Painter's canvass.  I can count on that fiery globe to climb each day at a certain time.  Like clockwork it changes the landscape from a dark and sleepy land to one filled with light and the melodious praises of joyous feathered friends outside my window.  

In the same way I can rely on the sun to rise at a specific time each day, I can trust every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:3).  I can stake my life on His promises and build upon His truths.  Even though I may not always understand or even agree, when I trust Him enough to align my thinking with His, I will find life (Romans 2:6-8).

God's Word is trustworthy enough for me to stake my life upon them (Matthew 7:24-27).

Boundary.  A child growing up with no boundaries is a child who lives in constant fear.  She pushes her parents to try to find the wall which will keep her from going further.  If there is none, she is left without protection and quickly falls into trouble, becoming disrespectful, disobedient and even physically aggressive. Children need to know what kind of behavior is acceptable and what is not in order for them to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults.

I once heard that some sociologists observed children playing on two different playgrounds;  one was surrounded by a fence while the other was open, without boundaries.  In the first park the children utilized the entire area, even hanging off the fences at times while in the second they tended to instinctively stick close to the center.  This beautifully illustrated the fact that children need boundaries in order to feel safe and secure and to provide an environment where they can behave like normal, rambunctious children.  They need to know there is border within which they must stay.

God's Word is that boundary line for His people.  The holy Scripture keeps me safe by teaching me right from wrong and keeping me within His best for me.  When I wander outside His wall, I may feel like I'm gaining independence and freedom, but I'll soon discover the pain that comes from doing what I was never meant to do.  God knows what is best for His creation.  

God's Word serves as the boundary for a life well-lived.

Standard.  If I want to see Mount Baker that looms outside my window, I must move to where it's visible.  It would be ridiculous for me to believe I could scoot the 10,781-foot peak over so that I have a better view.  A mountain is a permanent fixture.

In the same way, God's Word is immovable.  He does not change His thinking to conform to what people foolishly believe nor does He lower His standard in order to make people feel good about themselves.  His bar is held high, and it stays that way because His will brings glory to His name and produces His best for me, even if it seems unusual or uncomfortable (Romans 8:28-29).

This means I must be the one who does the conforming to His righteous ways, sticking to His narrow path by changing the way I think until it lines up with His views (Romans 12:2).  Since I'm so susceptible to getting off-track, it is vital that I continuously ask God to realign my thinking with His, showing me where I'm off (Psalm 139:24).  In this way I'm making a commitment to godly beliefs, not simply buying into the deception I hear all around me that sounds so good to my easily deceived ears (2 Timothy 4:3).

God's Word reveals His immovable standard.

Everything is changing all around me.  Even the most fundamental principles are being revised to conform to more progressive thinking.  In such a climate, its easy for me to get off-track.  As a follower of Christ who has been bought at a price, it's important that I honor God by relying on His Word for it is trustworthy, serves as a boundary to keep me corralled within His best for me, and endures as an immovable standard.  Yes, God's Word is a permanent fixture.  The only question is will I let it transform me or will I try to transform it to fit my needs and desires?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to take Him at His Word.

When do I expect God to make an exception for me?

How am I stubborn in the way I think, unwilling to let go of ungodly beliefs?