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**The Unchanging Rock in a Changing World**


 From my perch in Akasia, Pretoria, gazing out at the sprawling cityscape, I'm struck by the sheer dynamism of it all. Change, like a relentless river, carves its way through the landscape, reshaping streets and businesses, even lives. And amidst this constant flux, I find myself pondering the unchanging rock – the steadfast faith that, like a baobab in this ever-shifting terrain, remains rooted and strong.

Malachi 3:6 whispers promises of an unchanging God, a truth that feels both profoundly comforting and surprisingly challenging in this tumultuous nation. We South Africans are masters of change, of course. We've seen economies rise and fall, political landscapes transform, and personal lives—well, let's just say they've been, shall we say, "interesting." In this dance between the predictable and the unpredictable, the certainty of God's unchanging nature becomes not just a theological concept, but a practical, almost tangible presence.

My own journey has been a river, full of twists and turns. There was a time, not so long ago, when my own GPS – my sense of direction, my faith, my hope – seemed to malfunction. Doubt crept in, like insidious weeds choking the beautiful garden of my belief. My faith felt vulnerable, exposed. And just as I was beginning to feel lost, swallowed by the currents of disappointment, I remembered the unchanging rock. I recalled the steadfast love of my grandmother, a woman whose faith was as unyielding as the granite cliffs of our mountain passes. Her stories of God’s unwavering faithfulness, the very tales that she would recount on Sunday afternoons when we sat on the veranda, weren't just stories. They became my anchor, my compass.

That unwavering anchor, that unchanging rock, isn't about a static, uncaring deity. It's about a God of fervent love, a God who promises, and a God who does not abandon. He’s not a stiff-necked dictator; He's the loyal friend who sticks with us, even in the times we are least worthy of it. His unwavering love isn't a mere philosophical concept—it’s the quiet, subtle force keeping us afloat in the ever-shifting rapids of life.

God's unchanging nature isn't about rigidity, but a powerful resilience. His is a steadfast faithfulness, a love that endures even when we stumble. He's the mountain, the baobab, the unchanging rock in a turbulent world. And as we continue to journey through this ever-shifting land, and the shifting landscapes of our own lives, let us remember that anchor. Let us, in these changing times, remain rooted in the unchanging truth of God’s unwavering presence in our lives. Let’s not be consumed by the whirlwind of change, but be sustained by the enduring strength of our unchanging God.

Let’s face the future, shoulder-to-shoulder, not afraid of the rapids, but confident that the rock of our faith stands firm beneath us. Because, after all, even in this tumultuous Pretoria, amidst the unpredictable shifts and turns of our lives, there is a God who does not change. Let the mountains inspire us to remain steadfast and faithful!


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