The Winds of Change are Blowing!

I found myself in a moment of quiet reflection this morning as our new dog Fiver and I stood looking out the sliding window in our dining room mesmerized by the sights and sounds of the early hour that captured our imaginations…  Yesterday afternoon my wife and I saddled the pony and drove the Mustang into town to get some garden supplies at our local Home Depot.  

One of those supplies was trimmer line for my gas powered string trimmer.  Later that afternoon we all went outside where I restrung the trimmer and proceeded to cut down the tall grass around the corners of the back lot and the other nooks and crannies not accessible by the riding mower.

So, as we stood at the window this morning, I found myself enjoying the clean and crisp product of my labors.  Besides the finished look of the yard, I also enjoyed watching the various birds as they fluttered and sung their morning tunes among the trees, the crickets, abundance of butterflies and the close-up rumble of a local freight train as it passed beyond our sight and sounded it whistle while it crossed along the entrance to our rural sub-division.  With all that visual and acoustic activity, I could not help but sigh and thank the Lord for ALL that He has done for us over the years!

Today we experienced a somewhat resemblance of normalcy to our schedule that seems to have been slammed into turmoil over the last few weeks.  Piper had slept peacefully through the night and did not awake with hard jerks or shakes.  She finally seems to be responding to the new medication schedule and her body is healing after the shock of a couple of seizures and a fractured wrist.

All of that along with the cooler morning temperatures and the beauty that paraded in front of my eyes caused me to reflect on how we have responded to the demands of the changes in our lives throughout our marriage.  That’s when the phrase “Agents of Change” popped into my heart and mind.  I know that I have mentioned this before in past posts, but it seems like Piper and I were destined to be “Agents of Change” from our childhood days!  As I looked out the window into our backyard I also thought about how Papa God has prepared us for every change along the way.

Something we were watching on TV last night got me to thinking about our first camping adventure together as husband and wife that had begun on the third day of our honeymoon.  We spent the first two nights at a fancy resort on the pacific coast along the northern border of our home county.  Then we headed northeast and ended up in my favorite childhood campgrounds at Richardson Grove State Park.  What I pictured in my thoughts last night was how easily Piper seemed to fit into her new role on the first morning at camp while we worked together to get breakfast ready.

And even though her family were not campers or even outdoor enthusiasts, she acted like she’d done it all her life!  The smile on her face and the bounce in each step radiated a confidence that has followed her throughout her life!  Even though our marriage was brand spanking new… it was like we’d been married for years as we flowed together like a well-greased machine!

I don’t think I would have ever imagined that change in us a couple of weeks before that time… but you know… God had been preparing us throughout the five years of our courtship!  And as I thought about that this morning, I realized that this has been the pattern throughout the 46 years of our relationship.  I can look back at all that we have been through, both good and trying, and can now see how God made sure that we would be ready for each and every situation and chapter in our lives when they occurred.

So where does the phrase “Agents of Change” come into play?  I think the Lord was saying that this is what He has called all Christians to be!  I’m sure most of you have heard the saying that “The only thing constant in life is change,” well this morning I realized that as a Christian I would have to disagree with that statement.  For us, the only thing constant in our lives is Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word!  In John 14:6 Jesus replied to Thomas when he had a question about which direction in life to go saying: “I am the way, the truth and the life…” (God’s Word ©)

He was declaring that He was the road, the process to follow in this life, that His Word was what we should consider as the final word in any matter under consideration, and that a life that followed after Him would be one that is possessed by vitality or is animate while it is blessed of the Lord. (See: Strong’s and Thayer’s definitions for way, truth and life)  Then the writer of the book of Hebrews sealed the deal by stating that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 God’s Word ©)

So why I ask… do so many Christians have to fight against fear when change occurs in their lives?  With Jesus and His Word working for and through us, we should be the “Agents of Change” in this life for others to follow!  While I can agree with the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who is said to have coined the phrase about the constancy of change in our lives, I would finish the statement by giving into the truth and accompanying peace that comes as we yield any change unto Him and follow in the steps of His Word and promises!  For He always will prepare us for the change when it comes… if we trust, obey and then follow His way for us!  Thereby letting our lives be an example for others to follow.

This revelation has been one of the truths that keeps me going in the midst of the ever-changing landscape in Piper’s and my life right now.  Even when it seems like everything is hitting the fan, I am always assured that Papa God will have me prepared and able to take whatever action I am called upon to do!  Just like He has done over and over again throughout our lives!  With that knowledge I don’t have to waste time, energy or my peace in trying to guess what I think might be ahead for us!

So… Who or what is the constant in your life?  How do you handle change?  Who has the final say so in the situations and chapters of your life?  Would you consider yourself to be an “Agent of Change?”  Have a great rest of the week, and as you do keep asking yourself… “Who or What am I expecting to have the final word in the changes that occur in my life?”