“The Jesus you and I encounter today is the same Jesus who walked out of the tomb.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 17, 2025
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8, NIV
We live with what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery,” convincing ourselves that simply because we are the current expression of human beings, we must be the best! To be old is to be outdated, necessarily replaced with youthful bodies, advanced technologies, and updated beliefs. And while this may be the temptation every culture and society faces, into this illusion, Hebrews 13 reminds us of a timeless truth:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Though it does fall to each and every generation to learn how to appropriate the timeless truth of Christianity, the faith itself does not and cannot change, for faith as a Christian is not an abstract set of philosophical positions, but is an abiding and living relationship with a person. The Jesus you and I encounter today is the same Jesus who walked out of the tomb. The Jesus we pray to and who speaks words of comfort and love to us is the same Jesus who gave sight to the blind and healed the lame and crippled. And the Jesus who gives us courage to fight our battles is the same Lord who countless martyrs followed to their final breaths, marveling at the honor of being deemed worthy to die for the name of Jesus.
This truth should foster in our hearts a deep love for anyone who has borne the name “Christian,” regardless of time or place. And as such, let us ask the Lord to give us eyes that see the continuity of our faith through the ages. Rather than thinking the joys and challenges of our day are uniquely ours, we can instead learn from the witness of the saints of God in every age, for the Lord who cared for them cares for us, right here and right now.
Prayer
Father, we rejoice in the truth that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. May this give us humility as we look back at the past, and hope as we anticipate a great and glorious future. Amen.
Application
Consider reading a biography about a Christian from another time and place, learning to see your own story in theirs, encountering the Lord afresh through his care for his people in every generation.
Related Reading
Psalm 102:25–27; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
Worship Resource
Jon Guerra: In The Beginning Was Love
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
