Change

Change is often unwelcome. When computers replaced typewriters and longstanding accounting equipment, grumbling filled many an office. Some employees threatened to quit if management insisted they use a computer. Others lamented they were too old to learn a new system. But computers proved their worth and now you don’t hear anyone clamoring for the return of the typewriter.

I like to rearrange my office occasionally for no reason other than to introduce a change to my small world of work. I find the new arrangement is no better than the old, but at least I haven’t stagnated.

We hear political candidates call for change. “Vote for me, and I will bring change to Washington,” one candidate promises. Another alleges, “I will change the way Congress does business.” And one political party is branding itself “the party of change.” However, we are left to wonder what kind of change the political hopefuls have in mind. The change I introduce to my office is inconsequential to the kind of change they might bring to Washington and to us. If I have $5 in my billfold when I move my office desk and computer hutch, I still have $5 when I complete the task. But I have a hunch my $5 would shrink dramatically if the politicians of change have their way.

The right kind of change can be good, of course. The Bible promises to change the life of anyone who believes on Christ as Savior. Second Corinthians 5:17 declares that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” But there’s more! Constant change characterizes the productive Christian life. We mature spiritually as the Holy Spirit changes us into the image of Christ “from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).

The United States cannot be a theocracy, but it can truly be “one nation under God.” If we believe it is drifting away from this distinctive, we may be able to change its direction (1) by praying (2 Tim. 2:1–3), (2) by sharing the gospel faithfully (Acts 1:8), and (3) by leading a winsome, godly life (Prov. 14:34; Phil. 2:14, 15).


Now, for a change—if all of us Christians vote according to biblical convictions . . .

Trust Your Pilot

Boarding a commercial airplane can be a scary experience, especially if you spot a fellow passenger who fits your preconceived image of a terrorist. But an equally scary experience for me is that of seeing a pilot who doesn’t fit my preconceived image of a trustworthy pilot. In my thinking, the person who sits at the controls should look like Mr. America or Wonder Woman. I want a pilot that inspires confidence. I would feel uneasy if a Barney Fife look-alike in a pilot’s uniform stepped into the cockpit. And I wouldn’t feel at ease either if my pilot wore trifocals. Maybe these are just personal hang-ups, but I’m guessing you have them too. Deep down inside I know it doesn’t matter what a pilot looks like if he knows what the instruments look like and how to use them. All that really matters is his ability to have everything under control from takeoff to landing.

I don’t know what Jesus looks like, but I do know He is always in control. He holds all authority in heaven and on earth. Nothing escapes His gaze. Nothing slips from His grasp. Nothing takes Him by surprise. Nothing thwarts His purposes. He protects all who trust in Him, and He will land all of us safely in heaven someday.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’ ” (Matthew 28:18).

—Written by Jim Dyet. Copyright © 2008, Anchor

2008 All Star Game

The 2008 All Star Game is history. It was a cliffhanger that ended with the American League winning its eleventh straight All Star Game. Not the best news for us National League Rockies fans.

The pregame gathering of Hall of Famers caught my attention. Among the notables were Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Rollie Fingers, Bill Mazeroski, Ernie Banks, George Brett, Whitey Ford, and the venerable Yogi Berra. It was apparent these baseball greats and their Hall of Fame peers had aged. But then, so have I.

Hebrews 11 lists some members of God’s hall of faith. I expect to meet them in Heaven someday. As I age, I hope to do so gracefully with daily increments of faith. And when all is said and done, baseball is just a game, whereas faith and Christian service impact eternity.