Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people
the disaster he had threatened (Exodus 32:14).
1 Samuel 15:29 reads: [God] does not lie or change his
mind. One of the classic attributes of God is his immutability –
the idea that God does not change. Some have taken this so far as to mean that
God never changes his mind, because that would prove he is imperfect – the idea
that he was either wrong before or after he reformulated his opinion – picture
me with a perplexed look on my face.
That kind of thinking doesn’t bode well for the Israelites.
After the golden calf fiasco, it sounds like God was ready to wipe his chosen
people off the face of the earth. Then Moses interceded for them and God
relented. Isn’t relented another way of saying changed his mind?
When the biblical writers state that God doesn’t change his
mind, they are referring to his character. His character is constant. Who God
was yesterday is who God will be tomorrow. We don’t have to worry about him
forgiving us today, and then taking it back a week from now, because that would
be inconsistent with his character.
The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness . . . forgiving wickedness,
rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus
34:6,7).
TODAY’S MEDITATION
Ask yourself: Would I rather
have a God who cannot change his mind… ever, or a God who responds to the
prayers of his children whom he loves with an everlasting love? And if God does
respond to his children’s prayers, what does that mean for your prayer life?
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