Verse of the Day 11/24

Verse of the Day 11/24       

Hebrews 13:8    Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.     The Passion Translation (TPT)

We'll continue with our posts from Hebrews 13 with a short verse, but one that you can think about and come to from many different directions.  When you think of "the same" what comes to mind?  The same character, the same appearance; the same wisdom; the same power; the same love are a few that come to mind.

Now, think about us.  We were once children with boundless energy.  This diminishes.  As we grow older we mature physically but then somewhere we turn the corner and the aging process catches up to us. We can't play sports or climb mountains the same as we did when we were teenagers.  We may grow in wisdom as we mature and grow older, but at some point we may begin to become forgetful.  We may have been "sharp as a tack" as we came into our own but now things may be getting a little fuzzy.  Even with our sight, our hearing our sense of touch; they all will lose something as we age.  Not so with Jesus, not so with God.

It is fitting that God first identified Himself to Moses as the Great I Am.  He always has been but He has never lost anything of what He is.

Max Lucado writes, "The present-tense Christ. He never says, "I was."  We do. We do because "we were." We were younger, faster, prettier. Prone to be people of the past tense, we reminisce.   Not God. Unwavering in strength, He need never say, "I was." From the center of the storm, the unwavering Jesus shouts, "I am." 

Jesus has the same love; the same power; the same mercy; the same compassion; the same abilities as He did in the beginning today;  He will have them for tomorrow and to eternity.

Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow'r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Hebrews 13:7-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

Concluding Religious Directions

⁷ Remember those who ^[a]rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹ Do not be carried ^[b]about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.