Thursday, March 8, 2012

Our "Palindromic" God

Before I tell you what I mean by "Palindromic" God, let's define what is a palindrome.  It is a word, line, number etc. that is the same when reading forward or backwards.  Here are a few examples of palindromic
Numbers: 21022012, 332233, 1234321
Words: level, poop
Sentences: Madam, I am Adam; Abel was I ere I saw Elba
For the last two sentences, when you close up all the letters and read them from left to right, you will find that it's the same as that reading from right to left.  What this means is that the lines are the same reading backward or forward.

We certainly cannot read God backward nor forward.  One thing we do know about God is that He has no beginning and no end.  However, if one could go back into eternity past, way beyond the existence of the world as well as go forward into the eternal future, one will notice that God remains the same.  That is, His eternal characteristics remain basically the same.  Here are some Scripture verses that speak of this fact:
"I the LORD do not change"  Mal 3:6 (NIV)
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."    Heb 13:8 (NIV)
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."   Jas 1:17 (NIV)

Why can we take comfort in a God who does not change?  Because as the psalmist David declares, "He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness."  Ps 103:8 (NASB)
When we sin against God and humanity, we can find in our God, one who forgives and would remove our transgression as far as the east is from the west, which is unlimited! (Ps 103:12).  Apart from the fact that we can depend on Him to forgive us when we confess our sin (1 Jn 1:9), we can also rely on Him to fulfill His promises to us.  The Bible tells us that as many as may be the promises of God, they are the yes and amen in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 1:20).  And you know the promises of God (if not, start reading the Bible), begin to claim them by faith and see Him do wonders in your life.  Let me share a verse you can claim, which is one of the verses given to my daughter on her baptism day:

"And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure."   Is 33:6 (NASB)



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