The Presence of the Lord
At this time of year we hear many predictions about what
the next year holds for us. Just in case
you haven't heard, some are saying it will be a great year, while others are
predicting disaster. The truth is they
are both right. I don't believe we have
ever had a year of complete bliss or a year of complete disaster. Good times come and hard times come. That has been a fact since Adam sinned in the
garden. There is one fact that needs to
be remembered through it all.
Jesus gave His
disciples this same important thing to remember in one of His last
teachings. Jesus knew what His disciples
faced and the challenges that lay before them as they did what He
commanded. Let's look at what Jesus said
at the end of Matthew 28:20, "And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age." The Lord already
knows what 2008 will hold. He knows
everything and that should be a great comfort to us, but along with that, He
has promised us that He will be with us in it all.
Jesus used the word "surely" in the imperative
sense which makes it a command. Jesus
was stressing to His disciples the importance of this phrase. I believe this statement encouraged His
disciples during the good times and the hard times that were coming. I am with you is such a powerful
statement. That promise is a promise to
us as we enter the year 2008. God is
with us. The Creator of the universe has
promised to always be with us. The
Healer has promised to be with us. The
Provider has promised to be with us.
Our Attorney has promised to always be with us. What an amazing support group or should I say
Person. The One who is God is always
with us no matter where we go, no matter what the circumstances may look
like. He is with us and He is for
us!
Did you know that this statement is the key to
contentment in 2008? Hebrews 13:5-6
says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with
what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I
forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I
will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" The knowledge of His presence will keep us
free from the love of money. Who needs
to love money when they have God! People
love money because of insecurities. They
think that money can provide for every need.
They look to money for security and then they begin to give themselves
to it.
Jesus told us that He would always be with us. That word "always" is actually
three Greek words and could be translated as "everyday". When we wake up in the morning, He is with
us. No matter what the day holds, He is
with us. He is right by our sides. Isn't that a wonderful way to start a day? Before we even get out of bed, He is
there. We can wake up every day knowing
He is there. Have you ever worried about
a certain day? I know I have. Worry is sent to take our minds off Jesus and
His presence in our lives. If we don't
continually remind ourselves of His presence, worry and fear will dominate us
and we will be ineffective in reaching this world. In order for us to fulfill our destinies, we
must know that fact. God is with us!
Just a couple weeks ago, I felt the Lord challenge me with this statement. Do you trust Me with your future? My answer is yes, because He is with me. That brings us to the last statement that
Jesus made. He said He would be with us
to the end of the age. If you are
reading the King James Version it says world.
The word there is "aion" which means an age or time
period. The age that Jesus was talking
about is what we would call the church age or the age of grace. What this means to us is that this promise is
just as good for us today in 2008, as it was for Jesus' disciples 2000 years
ago. Jesus is with us no matter what
happens in 2008.
It is my prayer that this simple teaching will help you
as you face another year. I pray that at
the end of 2008 we will all testify that God is with us!