Changing Times

There was a day when mailing a letter within the United States cost three cents.

If you got accepted into Harvard University in 1946, you would pay $420 for a full year of tuition.

A ticket to the movie theater cost 55 cents.

Filling the car with gas ran 21 cents per gallon.

On January 18 of that same year, my dad entered the world! That makes today his 75th birthday. Woo-hoo!

Dad was born tenth out of eight children, and the youngest boy. Families that size are hard to find these days!

It’s true that a lot has changed since 1946. The cost of living has gone up significantly. More women are active in the workforce now. The price of college tuition has skyrocketed.

Families in those days enjoyed watching “Casper the Friendly Ghost” on TV. What a change to today’s “The Walking Dead” series!

The number of differences between 1946 and 2021 is vast, reaching every facet of society. It’s just how life goes! Things constantly change.

But there are a great many things that remain the same, untouchable by time itself.

Chosen

Are you a follower of Christ? This passage applies to you:

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes” (Ephesians 1:4 NLT).

Planned

In addition to choosing you, God has a plan and a purpose for your life!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10).

Placed

Not only did God choose you and already have a plan for you before time even began, He chose the exact pinpoint of history He wanted you to live in, from the day you were born until the day you die!

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16).

Unchanging

Finally, this God who chose you, planned you, planned for you and placed you, is a God who never changes.

He is the same God who spoke the planets into motion and light itself into existence.

He is the same God who led Noah to build a boat to save life on the earth, led the Israelites out of Egypt, and led His Son to the cross.

He is ever faithful, unfailingly loving, and full of mercy and compassion.

Doesn’t that bring comfort in the midst of the innumerable changes we’ve been through in the past 12 months? Times may be a’changing, but our God never is!

When you start feeling like a leaf in the wind, remind yourself of whose you are. Get back into your Word, and listen for the voice of your Creator and Savior. You are dearly loved and cared for, my friend!