In good times and bad, God never changes

If I Could Stop the Clock....

The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 

— 1 Kings 8:11

Every year when May rolls around in Michigan, I want to stop the clock. I rejoice when death is defeated by fragile sprouts that refuse to be confined by hardened clay and brittle branches. Over a few weeks, the naked landscape transforms into fully clothed trees adorned by bright, fragrant flowers. I can't get enough of the sights, sounds, and scents of springtime. I want time to stop moving.

Also in May, I come to 1 Kings in my Bible reading schedule. When I get to chapter 10, I have the same feeling: I want the story to stop. The nation of Israel has bloomed. Solomon has become king and has built a magnificent dwelling place for God, who moved in with a blaze of glory (8:11). Finally united under a righteous king, they are at peace. I love happy endings!
But the story doesn't end there. It continues: "But King Solomon loved many foreign women" (11:1), and "his wives turned his heart after other gods" (v.4).
Just as the seasons of the year continue, so do the cycles of life — birth and death, success and failure, sin and confession. Although we have no power to stop the clock while we're enjoying good times, we can rest in God's promise that eventually all bad times will end (Rev. 21:4). 

Father, our days are filled with pleasures and struggles.
We would like for life just to have the joys, but we know
that's not realistic in this sinful world. Help us to wait
patiently for You to bring us Home. Amen.
In good times and bad, God never changes. 

By: Julie Ackerman Link

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