I'll Never Leave

As usual, there are lots of important reminders as this letter comes to a close. One of the most precious promises offered to us is that God will never fail us and never abandon us. I've memorized that promise, but I often forget what it's tied to at the beginning of the verse. How about you? Verse 5 says, "Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, 'I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.'"

There are few things that cause us to feel insecure and uncertain in life quite as easily and thoroughly as financial matters. Regardless of the plans we have or the good intentions we have of trusting God with our finances (or despite our finances), surprise car repairs, medical bills, etc. challenge our resolve almost constantly. But here God promises to be present in every stressful situation with us. In verse 6, he takes it beyond money matters and declares, "So we can say with confidence, 'The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'"

A friend of mine was telling me that this week is the first anniversary of a nasty flood that caused her family to have to evacuate their home and caused a lot of damage. She still has so many questions about why it happened, and fears about whether it might happen again. But she finds peace in knowing that God was present in the flood. He is here with us in the midst of all our circumstances, ready to care for us, ready to carry us, providing for us (sometimes in ways that we don't notice), and ready to teach us more about His Kingdom.

What challenge are you facing today? Of what are you fearful? Have you been feeling alone? Does it seem like God is silent? In the midst of the uncertainties of life on earth, in the midst of the fears we face, in the midst of our confusion about what God is trying to teach us or accomplish in our lives, we can be confident of this: God is present; He is with us, and He will never abandon us or fail us. We long to understand what's happening to us. But sometimes a better question for us to ask than, "Why is this happening?" is "Where is God in this?" And as we wrestle with the answer, let us be confident that He is indeed with us in whatever it is.