YGS 20181010

Everytime I sit in the dentist chair I always enjoy looking up at the TV in each room, which without fail, has the channel eScapes on. I have always loved travelling, and this channel shows scenes from various places around the world, some I have been to, others I’d love to visit someday. On the side of the screen there is always a small bar, for advertising and facts. I personally never care for the adverts, but I do enjoy reading the facts. Silly things like, “the plastic on the end of shoe laces are called aglets.” One thing I saw this morning, which I hadn’t heard of before was that the oldest record of ICE CREAM dates back to the Persians in about 400 BC. The Romans, invented the roads and sidewalks as we know them today around 2000 BC in Anatolia (now Turkey). There are many, many other inventions that we use a version of that were all created in the era we call BC; some include: the wheel, sewing needles, basket weaving, boats, twisted rope, and more. This might not interest you as much as it does me, but I always find this sort of information fun because I believe it can bring us a little closer to knowing what parts of life for Jesus was like. We are about 2000 years since Christ lived as one of us, we are so far removed from Him, we can often struggle to think about what a normal day could be like for the average person. Today we have Wi-Fi, cell phones, electricity, AC, cars, and so many more things that Jesus and the people of that time never had. It can be hard to think about life for them. As often as life brings new things from so many brilliant minds from all around the world, God remains the same, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Hebrews 13:8. This week I encourage you to take a step back from the hectic-ness of life, to stop and breathe for just a few minutes and reflect on how much God has done for you, for your family, and for your friends. So often, we come before God with prayer requests and they are in some form of a ‘to-do’ list for Him, but when you stop, think about all that He has done for you. Some inventions are created and then over time improved; I believe personal improvement happens when we stop and think about what changes can be made in our individual lives. I believe God remains faithful in working on us to improve our lives and who we are. Things may not be what they used to be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t relate to God in the same ways. So, sit back with a bowl of (ancient) ice cream, and thank God for being forever patient, forever faithful, and forever the same. Peter Hunt