Scripture: Exodus 14: 10-12, Exodus 16: 2-3, Exodus 17: 3
Numbers 11:4-5 “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost-also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
John chapters 14, 15, 16
Revelation 21:5 “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
Change Your Underwear
There’s an old joke about a small platoon of World War I soldiers who have been stuck in a wet, muddy trench for weeks. Wet, smelly, and miserable, they come to attention when their lieutenant comes to the trench for inspection. Seeing the condition of the men, the lieutenant suggests to the sergeant that at least a change of underwear be arranged for the men. “Aye, aye, sir,” the sergeant responds. “I’ll see to it right away, sir!”
After the lieutenant has left, the sergeant calls the men to attention.
“Men, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the lieutenant wants you all to have a change of underwear.”
The men cheered! Then one of the men said, “Sarge, that’s great news! But if I may ask sir, what’s the bad news?”
“The bad news is - Smitty, you change with Crocker. Adams, you change with Donnelly. Jones, you change with Benson ….”
Have you ever expected a welcome change and then had it turn out to be anything but? Change can be good or bad depending on what we are expecting. Let’s face it, good or bad, change can be just plain hard period. I am not a person who deals well with change (although if I had been one of those soldiers in the trench, I would’ve had no problem getting a change of clean underwear!) I get used to things the way they are. I’m comfortable. Nobody asked me if I wanted a new cell phone when I had finally just mastered all the buttons on the one I had. Four of the doctors I have been seeing for over 30 years have gone and had the nerve to retire! I haven’t liked finding four different doctors. I liked having my grandchildren within driving distance. Why did they have to move 1,000 miles away just because their father wanted to get a PhD? And the older I get, the more the little changes bug me. The insurance company suddenly decided they will no longer pay for the little blue pill I have taken at bedtime for years. I have to switch to a generic now, which is a little white pill that looks just like the aspirin tablet I also take at bedtime. I keep getting them confused. Why did I have to change from taking the blue one?
Psychologists have composed a list of major changes a person may go through in life that cause great stress. They say that if a person has to go through more than one of these in the same year, the chance of damaging, stress-related symptoms increases dramatically. Some of the life-changing events on this list include moving to a new place, the death of a loved one, going through a divorce, enduring a major illness, having a baby, and having to change jobs. Psychologists say that even pleasant changes, if they are major enough, can be hazardous to your mental health if you don’t cut yourself some slack while getting used to the change.
The Israelites certainly wanted a change from slavery, but they complained about all the changes it required for them to get out of Egypt (see scripture above from Exodus and Numbers). The disciples were upset when Jesus said he was going to leave them. They wanted things to stay just as they had been the previous three years. This Holy Spirit Jesus talked about sending in his place sounded to them like much too much change. (see John chapters 14,15, 16) Can you imagine how stressed out they were holed up in that room after Jesus left them? Putting up with the “known” is often better than facing the “unknown”. Last week my granddaughter, Katie, joined the ranks of children going off to school. It was all she could talk about all summer. But when the time came to let go of mommy’s hand and walk into the classroom, she was full of little fears and “what ifs”. Going to a new grade with a new teacher or worse, going to a new school with all new classmates and routines, is stressful change for most kids. I remember waving to Katie’s father, my oldest son, as we left him at his new college campus (yikes! was that really 18 years ago?). After being king of the hill in high school, he suddenly looked so vulnerable standing there in front of his freshman dorm that I sobbed all the way home. Was college a good change? Of course, but hard nonetheless (for me at least). My husband and I have begun to talk about our upcoming retirement. It’s going to be a big change. Our income will change, the way we spend our day will change, how we pay for our health care will change, perhaps our place of residence will change, not to mention having him home with me all day, every day!! I’m excited and apprehensive all at the same time. Nevertheless, it is time for this new season in our lives.
Change shouldn’t surprise us. After all, our God is a God of change. He created the changing seasons we are seeing evidence of once more now that September is upon us. He causes things to grow and wither so that new things can grow again. In the concordance in the back of my Bible, I counted 38 times that God used the word “new”! He says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Would we really want it any other way? He did not look down upon you and I and say, “Well, she’s used to her sinful life. I don’t want to change that and rock her boat.” No, God wants to change our hearts. He wants to wipe away the sin and replace it with a new thing, his righteousness. Then once we are Christians, Jesus doesn’t want us to keep feeding on spiritual “baby’s milk”. He wants us to move on to the “meat” of his word. He wants us to change more and more into his likeness. And our Lord doesn’t want us to get too used to this earth. We’re just passing through. The biggest change of all is ahead as we shed our earthly body and go to heaven to live for eternity. So as much as you and I wriggle and complain about change, we might as well smile and “get with the program” because God is moving us on to bigger and better things.
Prayer: Lord, I am afraid of change sometimes, even if I was unhappy before it came. Help me to accept the changes in my life and trust you to keep me in your care while I go through them. Thank you that you did not leave me in my sin, but offered the sacrifice of your son in order to change my heart. Amen