Who Do You "Go To"?

You probably have heard the expression “go-to guy” before. This is the person that people go to when they need something or when times get tough because they know that the “go-to guy” will come through. Wouldn’t it be nice to always have someone that you could count on regardless of the circumstances in your life?

Fortunately, there is one who is able to provide just that for those who have trusted Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Saviour. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...”. Jesus also tells us “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-12). These gifts include that God will never forsake or leave us (Hebrews 13:5), will meet all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Philipians 4:19), and He asks us to cast all of our anxieties on Him (1 Peter 5:7). We are further told God will deliver us in our day of trouble if we call upon Him (Psalm 50:15).

These promises are not made by a weak god, but instead by the one true God. Jesus was able to control the sea, cast demons out of men, feed thousands by multiplying food, and conquer death. This is why Paul was able to write “No, in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

Things Change, but God Doesn’t

If you’ve ever watched the movie Varsity Blues, you are familiar with the girl who dumps star quarterback Lance Harbor as soon as he suffers a severe knee injury.  On the car ride from the hospital where Lance is to the party that same night she begins trying to seduce the new starting quarterback Jonathon Moxon.  When he tries excusing himself by saying Lance is her boyfriend, she just says “Things change Mox...you’re the starting quarterback now”.

It has been said that the one of the only certainties we have in life is change.  All sorts of things change many times in our lives...friends, family, jobs, what city we live in, etc.  It can seem like everything is moving.  In these times it is so easy to get caught up in emotion and base our level of faith in God on our immediate circumstances.  This approach is like trying to run in place in quicksand....it just doesn’t work.

God has made himself known to us in different ways throughout history, but he has always been the same.  Malachi 3:6 states that “I the Lord do not change”.  Hebrews 13:8 also tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.  God has always wanted His people to belong to Him alone and to bring Him glory.

Circumstances around us will always be changing.  We can choose to yield to our emotions and reject God’s love when things aren’t going well OR remember that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Field Trip

You might have heard that all NFL rookies are visiting the pro football hall of fame this year. This field trip was sparked by a suggestion from former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin that young players might be less likely to get in trouble if they had the opportunity to see that the game is bigger than them. Other potential benefits of such a trip include gaining an appreciation for the history of the game and committing to put in the work that is required to be truly great.

Have you visited the hall of fame lately? I'm not talking about any sports hall of fame, but instead about faith's hall of fame (Hebrews 11). It is certainly a reminder that 1) God's plan is bigger than any one of us; 2) God rewards those who demonstrate their faith through works; and 3) allows us an opportunity to commit to being faithful to God and allowing Him to show us the great life (maybe not great by the world's standards) that only He can give. Of course, just visiting (or working/volunteering for) a hall of fame doesn't make you a member of it. We have to put into work what we learn from those who have come before us. Let's go take a visit to the hall and then go and try to live up to the great examples laid out before us.