September always seems to me to be a month of change. Summer turns into Autumn, the temperature drops, the evenings draw in and the leaves begin to change colour. Schools, Colleges and Universities start back which brings with it new classes and new experiences. Looking back, this time of year marks other significant changes for me such as starting new jobs and moving to a new home.

As I sit at my computer thinking about what to write it’s the subject of change that’s on my mind. Some changes are positive. They come with doorways of opportunity and the excitement of adventure. They mark progress and achievement and we embrace them willingly.

Yet, other changes are not so welcome. These changes can hit us hard. The onset of illness or tragedy come with pain and heartache. Loneliness can become a companion as we lose a friend or loved one from our lives. There is that pit in the stomach feeling that comes when things begin to crumble around us.

Uncertainty can dominate as we look at the shifting scene of our nation and the world around us. Fear can replace confidence as we see more and more terror attacks. Despair can replace hope as we lose trust in the systems and people who govern us. Economic, political, cultural, community and personal change impact our lives and set us off balance.

How do you deal with this? As a Christian, when I see and experience these changes, I am thankful that the Bible teaches me there is someone who never changes. It says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

What does that mean? Well, it means that no matter the circumstances I face, I can know that Jesus is just as loving, kind, gracious, merciful, just and right as he always has been and always will be. No matter how the world changes, Jesus is still the Son of God who died for sin and rose from the dead and promises to be with me. He is 100% stable and a rock that will not crumble.

As I sit here and think of change, I find myself wondering what changes the next 12 months might hold. Do any of us know? Not really.  Yet, I do know I can face them with confidence because Jesus never changes.