What a word. It was instrumental in the election of our first African-American president. Change is responsible for moving our country progressively forward. Some claim that change moves society to greater civility. Change seems to do many things. On the other hand, does it. We could continue talking about change without discussing specifics and everyone would be content, happy, and assuaged in their faith that change is good. Is change good? Isn’t “change” often just a straw man for our imagination? The truth is that change is never comfortable but always necessary.

Oxymoronic? Cliche’? Reality? Or just some silly campaign slogan that worked.

Yes, the right change is certainly a good thing. When we discuss “change” in an open fashion, everyone is able to envision their own idea of change. That is very personal, very inviting, very individual and very “tolerant.” The open idea of change leaves each individual to his own devices. Isaiah warned Israel about that failing in 53:6. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” If going our own way in life is a bad thing then anyone encouraging that thought process is encouraging us to stray from the things that are good for us.

I guess it all boils down to life’s limits. Everyone who works in the economy knows they have to do what their boss says to do. To go against that gets one fired. To stay employed we choose to subject ourselves to the boss. Everyone makes a choice to submit. What we choose to submit too is the issue at hand. Maybe we should change. Change is good in employment sometimes. Change is good in other things too.

Maybe change is good concerning our allegiance. Maybe we need to change that allegiance to something and someone far more advantageous to our life on earth, and our eternal life in heaven. One way or another, change is inevitable. The question is when will we change and will it be voluntary.

A proposed change in allegiance. The bible says that we are naturally allied with Satan in our lives. I know that one is hard to take. Nevertheless, look at it for a second. John 8:43-45 tells us we do not understand what Jesus promises and cannot hear Him speak to us because our lusts lie with our father, the Devil. We are naturally bent toward that going our own way thing in Isaiah. We could banter about the fine line between having to work for our needs, and having to work as our Lord commands and how those two things cross paths. We could banter about necessities in the world and how Jesus tells us to serve our earthly masters. The bottom line is who is the focus of everything you do. Is it your benefit, your happiness, your desires, your lusts, your ideas, your philosophy of life? Alternatively, is it the Lord for His glory and you seek Him to guide you to and through life (1 Corinthians 10:31). The first develops everything for self-including a moralistic existence. We say, “We’re good people, pay our bills, rear good children, successful in society…we’ll be okay.” That’s going your own way. I propose an allegiance with Jesus. Your life will be free of the worldly pressures as you rest in His eternal grace (Matthew 11:29-30). You’re whole focus changes.

A proposed change for advantage. Again, we could banter about how this idea crosses into the necessities of life, but the ultimate issue is not this life, but the next. Do you believe in an afterlife? Can you say emphatically that you know your belief is true? If you were to wrap everything up that you know about the world materially, spiritually and emotionally, would you say it’s about 50%, how about 25%, how about even 99% (our nuclear engineers are in this category). When you decide ask this question, couldn’t God and the afterlife be in that 1-75% that you don’t know about? Don’t you think you should do something about that in your favor? If for nothing else, I propose a change that seeks Jesus for eternal life in heaven over the alternative eternal existence in torment.

An inevitable change. The Bible says that it is appointed to man to die only once then the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Most people believe there is some sort of judgment after this life. That is why they want to live a good life and help others. Like the spider and the web, there is a part of us that knows we are supposed to do good things in our life because we will be held accountable by someone afterward. We know (or at least suspect) this change is inevitable whether we choose to admit it or not. I propose embracing this inevitable change with zeal. This sounds morbid, but look at death as an exciting event where you are transferred from this material life to a spiritual life.

Whether for allegiance, advantage or as a matter of inevitability, change will come about on an eternal plane. The best change is one made by choice. It is the most comfortable. The only way to achieve change that makes eternal difference is to accept Jesus as your personal savior (John 14:6). Jesus gave His life to ransom your soul (Matthew 20:28). John 5:25 tells us that those who hear Jesus will live. Listen, hear Him, change your life to live for eternity and you shall have His peace (2 Corinthians 13:11).