Cogges Parish newsletter September 2001

From the newsletter ...

CHANGE

"Oxford - OXFORD" shouted the Guard "All change 'ere! ALL CHANGE". I remember it well, and the slamming of the carriage doors, although I must have been only about 10 at the time. You had to change, because Oxford station was as far as the Witney train went. A day in Oxford; and then back again - Cassington 'alt, Eynsham, South Leigh, and Witney. That all changed when the branch line was closed, (and wouldn't it be great if it changed again with a new one!)

Change, change, change. Old change, new change, slow change, quick change. Everything changes - not even your diamonds are forever because someone else will own them one day.

Some changes are great, like (say) a hip replacement or a word processor, but some are not, like (say) illness, or the awful increases in crime, bigotry and pollution. Indeed when things are bad one has sympathy for the rather gloomy old hymn which has the line "Change and decay in all around I see, O Thou who changest not, abide with me".

There's a comfortable thought - a just, good and unchanging God; and one can read many, many quotes from the Bible that support this truth. Here is just one of them: "I AM THE LORD, and I change not". So isn't it strange that so much of today's thought seems to expect an unchanging God to debase His principles (which are for our protection and peace) so that they keep in line with a degenerating mankind. Well, He won't, and those who change away from those principles are in for trouble.

One should read them from time to time (there are 10) because they make a foundation for stable families and stable communities, and one should see how they apply in one's own life.

Think what good it would do in families if there were an increase in respect for marriage promises and for parents. Or in communities if there was less stealing and violence.

It does start though with people becoming joined to that unchanging, just and loving God, and this is through the Lord Jesus Christ. That joining is the happiest change anyone can make.

David Smith

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