Devotional: Malachi 3:6-18

Reflection

• (Mal 3:6 ESV) “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Discussion

Immutability is the attribute of God that indicates He does not change.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever into the future.  His mind is not changed, His plans are not changed, His will is not changed.  This might be impossible for us to comprehend given our ever changing world, but think of a landmark.  Is there a route you have driven over and over knowing where to turn by the landmarks?  “When you get to the yellow house, turn left.”  Maybe you can’t tell all the mile-markers and road numbers, but you can get these – as long as they don’t paint the yellow house blue.

 

Change, in our world, is an indication of progress – either good or bad.  Let’s say they finally paint the yellow house because the paint has been peeling off for 10 years.  Repainting is good progress.  Also, blue really does look great on that house – this new paint is an improvement.

 

The idea of God needing improvement or making progress, however, points at a lack of completeness.  God is entirely holy, perfect in every way.  His nature is perfect, His will is perfect, His way is perfect.  For God, there is no room for improvement.  For Him there is no progress to a point better than where He already is.  He cannot change.

 

This is something we should take great comfort in.  That the God who saves us and adopts us is always and will always be the same no matter what comes.  We can be sure of that.

Connection

Have you experienced a change that really shook your life to the core?

 

Is there someone or something that has always been that rock solid foundation?

 

How does the concept of an unchanging, sovereign God put you at ease in a world that is constantly on the move?

 

Expansion

The Father

God the Father has eternally existed in the past and will eternally exist forever in the future.  He alone is the sovereign creator and supreme ruler of everything.  He is unchanging, omnipresent,  omnipotent, omniscient and entirely holy in every capacity.

Genesis 1:1, Exodus 3:14, Genesis 1:26-27, Isaiah 40:28, Romans 11:36, Malachi 3:6-7, James 1:17-18, 1 Kings 8:27, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:18-20, Job 9:19, Revelation 19:6, Luke 1:37, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 40:13-14, Psalm 147:5, 1 Timothy 1:17, Jude 1:25, Romans 11:33-34, Romans 16:27, Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8, Psalm 111:9