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Friday, October 16

It is 1978. Jimmy Carter was the President of The United States of America. The average monthly rent cost was $260.00. One dozen eggs cost 48 cents and one gallon of gasoline was 63 cents. Disco dominated the music scene and “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever” were the top movies. I was 14 years old and my family, the Cruz family, was relocating from Puerto Rico to Colorado Springs; there I would spend the two most formative years of my life.

It is 1980. Ronald Regan is now the President. One gallon of gasoline cost $1.20, Disco music slumps and Rock reemerges. The top movie at that time was Airplane; and the Cruz family is once again on the move from Colorado Springs to the City of Miami.

It is now 2015 and Barack Obama is the President of the United States of America. The average monthly rent is priced in excess of a $1000. One dozen eggs cost anywhere from $1.99 to $4.49. As of now, the top movie is Mad Max: Fury Road. Taylor Swift dominates the music charts and I am on my way, back to Colorado Springs after 35 years.

Things Change. Thirty- five years have passed and the population in Colorado Springs has doubled. What use to be a main highway has now been relegated to just an insignificant road. I returned to the home where we lived for two years. Today, that once enormous house with a huge pine tree in the front nestled on lush green grass looked old, worn, and tattered. The towering pine tree is now gone and rocks and dirt replace the lush green grass. I also drove by my old school to check out the track where I use to run and it hit me; not only had things changed in Colorado Springs, I have also changed. I am no longer that teenaged boy; I am an adult with children of my own. In fact, my youngest is about to turn legal age. Back then I could not wait to become an adult and now I wish I could stop time.

I know you can also speak about change. I am sure you have political, financial or security reasons that compelled you to move from one country to another. You can probably talk to me about your changing family, how some have left and others have joined or your changing body or even your financial situation; things change.

Change brings about insecurities. Therefore, what should we do? There are those who resist change while others simply embrace it. When all is said and done, change always wins. There is good news! We are not limited to these two options (resist or embrace change); there is a third option. Instead of focusing on us, we can focus on God who never changes.

Psalms 102:27-28 NLT

But you are always the same; you will live forever. The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence.

Things will indeed change, but God will never change. God will not change His mind; He will always hate sin but will always love the sinner. God’s power is eternal and will never diminish; He will never be too busy or overwhelmed to hear your prayers. God will always oppose the proud but will always give His grace to the humble. God remains the same even though people and things change.

But as for me, I will sing about your power.  Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. – King David (Psalms 59:16-17 NLT).

Heavenly Father, thanks because I can live with the confidence that You are the same today, tomorrow and forever. You are the one who saved me many years ago, in spite the fact that my life and my circumstances have changed your love for me is inexhaustible and never changes.