Good Morning Everyone,
Our Bible verse for today: “If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:8-10 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Trust Him to always be with you.”
The Bible is true. Period. The Bible is God’s words to us and it is 100% true, all the time. Therefore anything written in the Bible, even if it only appears one time, is God-spoken truth. But if something is repeated in the Bible, especially if it is repeated numerous times, then that’s a truth God wants to drive home to us and to embed deeply into our hearts. When God repeats something numerous times in the Bible it’s because He wants to be certain that we get it.
One of the great truths God repeats over and over again is that He is always with us. Psalm 139:8-10 explains that truth in beautiful and poetic language. In other passages God uses much more direct language to make the same point. As was noted in a previous devotional on this topic, 13 times in the Bible God promises to go before His people. That means that you will never enter into any situation where God is not already there and waiting for you. 22 times He promises to never leave us. Hebrews 13:5 may be one of the most direct passages on this topic in all of Scripture, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” Matthew 28:20 is another, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
This is important because sometimes we can find ourselves doubting God’s presence, especially during times of trial and hardship when answers and resolutions don’t seem to be coming. We begin wondering, “Where is God in the middle of all this?” Well, the promise of Scripture is that He is right there with you. Even if you don’t sense His presence in that moment it’s no less true that He is still right there.
During those times when the presence of God seems far away or even non-existent ask yourself these questions, “Do I believe the Bible is true, in all respects and at all times?” “Do I really believe that God is with me always, just as He promised He would be?”
Then rest in the knowledge that He is in fact with you in the middle of whatever it is you’re dealing with. In the right way, at the right time, He will make His presence known to you and it will be obvious that He was right there with you all the time. You can trust Him to always be with you.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 