It’s true that change is inevitable. Nothing seems to stay the same forever. People grow older. Places undergo renovation. Time does not stand still. As the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said "You cannot step twice into the same river." The river moves on; you change  also. I entertained such thoughts often last month as Jana and Jackson and I traveled to Texas. Every summer we try to scoot down there for a week to see our extended families—mine in San Antonio, hers not far away in Fredericksburg.Each time we go we do see signs of change. Our younger cousins mature and become young adults before our eyes. Our little nephew Hudson can now speak to us. New shopping centers pop up everywhere in San Antonio where there used to be trees and grasslands. I used to lament the sprawling of pavement over pasture, but the newest shopping center does contain a Panera Bread—my favorite St. Louis restaurant—so I can’t complain too much.

Yet, at the same time, some things don’t seem to change. We do find those people and places and events that we can always count on, or ?hang our hat on? as a Texan might say. Every time I travel back home I am also amazed at my expectations that continue to be met in the same old way. For one thing, I know I can always count on the San Antonio heat, and I wasn’t disappointed this year. I also traveled to my favorite spot for lunch, Las Palapas, and ordered the same thing I always do, the Macho Burrito, and sure enough it tasted as well as I remember. I jogged at the old high school track and, like clockwork, was again overcome with nostalgia for my football days. I also caught up with some childhood friends at a restaurant called El Jarro just like I expected to. It’s never planned—but every time we go to have dinner there I see someone I grew up with. This year I saw an old friend of mine named Mitch who I hadn’t seen in over ten years. Within seconds we fell back into our friendship and started laughing at the same old stories. It’s like it was 1998 all over again. Those travels back in time happen when we see old friends. You see the paradox—change is inevitable, and yet some things never change.

Even scripture affirms this paradox. On one hand God promises innovation through the words of the prophet Isaiah: ?Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am now about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (43:19). On the other hand the ancient book of wisdom Ecclesiastes testifies ?What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the son? (1:9). What are we to do with this paradox? How do we make sense of the relationship between change and constancy?

I think it’s impossible to make sense of the inevitability of both change and constancy. Perhaps it’s not our job to try and figure it out. Instead, we are just called to live in the paradox. As Lutherans we are used to living in paradoxes— we view Jesus as both fully divine and fully human; we consider ourselves to be both sanctified people in God’s eyes and also guilty sinners; we believe Jesus ascended to the Father but we also are fed with his true body in the sacrament of holy communion, etc. Historically, we have no problem accepting contradicting ideas at the same time. What does this mean for our life together?

It means that we should celebrate the things we know we can always depend on. We cherish the weekly opportunity to hear the Word and receive the Sacrament. We cherish the opportunities we have to share fellowship and serve with people we have known for years. We celebrate (or maybe we don’t) the fact that our council and committee meetings always run longer than planned. And yet, at the same time, God is calling us to be open to change in the midst of constancy. New ministry opportunities surround us. New people continue to come into our presence. New ideas are floating around.

I believe the true church is one that holds fast to what is constant and also opens its arms to what has changed and what is new. Following Christ, we can’t help but be paradoxical. Hold on to the old. Embrace the new. At the same time. That’s what ministry is all about. I look forward to joining you on this journey.

In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Zac