“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.“–Malachi 3:6
One of Rembrandt’s final paintings is considered by many to be his finest: The Return of the Prodigal Son . It illustrates the climax of the parable of Jesus recorded in Luke 15:11-32. The power of that parable is found in the father’s unconditional love for the Prodigal Son who returns home after profligate living. He returns not knowing what to expect—whether the father would still love him or not.
Jesus told the parable to Jews and their leaders whose ancestors had, a few generations earlier, returned from exile in Babylon. Most of them, born in Babylon, had not known the God of their fathers personally. Would He still be angry over the sins that sent Israel into exile? The answer was no: “For I am the LORD, I do not change.” God’s love is not based on their or our goodness or sinfulness. It is based on God’s choice to love unconditionally. He had told them through Jeremiah that His love was as constant as the universe (Jeremiah 31:35-37). When they returned home to Judah, they discovered God’s love had not changed.
His love does not change toward you either. Rest today in the unchanging nature of God and His love for you.(Turning Point)
Oh, the vast, the boundless treasure of my Lord’s unchanging love!–Robert Robinson
