John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne
Revelation 1:4 NIV
When Jesus ascended to heaven, two angels appeared beside the disciples and urged them not to despair. They assured the disciples that the same Jesus they had just seen taken up into heaven would return. This promise is echoed again in Revelation 1:4, where John, in his vision on the Isle of Patmos, affirms the eternal nature of Christ. The Scripture declares, “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come.”
The familiar saying, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” is far more than a comforting cliché. It is the truth of the gospel. He is the One who is, presently active and present in our lives. His grace remains constant, and his peace continues unchanged. Whenever doubt tries to creep into your heart, you can look back and remember that he is also the One who was. His grace existed in the past, sustained you before, and upheld you through times you thought you would not survive.
Furthermore, he is the One who is to come. This means his grace and peace will remain the same in the future. They do not diminish, disappear, or fluctuate with seasons. They flow from who he is, and because he never changes, these gifts remain constant.
Therefore, be encouraged. Whatever situation you are facing and whatever circumstance surrounds you, he is the same. Since he is the One who is, he stands right in the middle of your situation. Because he is the One who was, you can remember his faithfulness in times past, even in your darkest moments. And since he is the One who is to come, you can rest in the assurance that his nature will remain unchanging in the days ahead.
Never forget the steadfastness of God. There is no shifting shadow in him. Nothing about him wavers. He is who he was in the beginning, he is who he is now, and he will remain who he will be for all eternity.
Living It Out
We live this truth out by continually remembering who he is, his person, his character, and his nature. He does not change. He cannot be reduced or divided. Nothing can be taken from him, and nothing can be added to him. He is God all by himself, complete and constant through every generation. As you move through life’s changing seasons, hold tightly to the unchanging Christ. His grace has sustained your past, steadies your present, and secures your future. Rest confidently in this truth: the same Jesus who was, who is, and who is to come remains unfailingly faithful, and his presence will never shift away from you.