Last week Sir Anthony Hopkins said:
“From the moment we're born, we say goodbye to childhood, we say goodbye to adolescence, and eventually we say goodbye altogether. At the end of it all is hello, my love, and goodbye, my love. And that's the theme of life, that nothing is permanent. It doesn't make one miserable. In fact, it's a kind of solace because there's nothing I can do about it. I'm here. And one day I will not be here.”
I am interested in Hopkins’ phrase that ‘nothing is permanent’. The writer of Hebrews says ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever’ [13:8]. Therefore, Jesus is permanent. For us, as Christians, this assurance of Jesus’ permanency is a wonderful promise to take with us through our life’s journey.
Our Jesus, who walked the earth yesterday in the gospels, living fully human and fully divine, is the same Jesus who died on the cross, descended into hell and on the third day rose again and is today seated at the right hand of God, the same Jesus, Son of God, who is working in heaven on our behalf, interceding until he brings all his people home forever.
In the midst of the brokenness and anxiety in our world, I want people to know about Jesus, how he is timeless and he never changes. He is always good. I can count on him. He is my Saviour and Lord, my friend and king, the lion and the lamb, the good shepherd, the way, the truth and the life. What do you want people to know about your Jesus?
We don’t know what our tomorrow will bring or when we will say goodbye altogether. But we do know we can rely on God’s character, as nothing we do – no sin, no falling out, no complications in our lives - will cause him to abandon us. His love for us is a constant, unchanging aspect of his character.
The writer of Hebrews references Psalm 102:25-27, where the Psalmist writes that though the earth will perish, our God will endure, remaining the same and his years will never end. Long ago God laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of his hands. In an ever-changing world, we can lean into our faith and praise our God, trusting him to always be there.
“You are the same, and your years have no end.” Psalm 102:27.
