Matthew 28:20b: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
When a crisis crashes into your life a flood of emotions and thoughts hit you all at once. There isn’t a logical progression of ideas and feelings that sweep over you in some sort of chronological order. It’s more like a spontaneous explosion, with thoughts and feelings flying everywhere in your head. They don’t follow any type of rhyme or reason. They just are; they just happen. I suppose that’s one of the first experiences that makes us feel disoriented, that makes us feel like life is suddenly out of control. We can’t even control our own internal responses to the event that has blindsided us. And in my own experience one of the questions that flies out of this Big Bang of emotional reaction is the question, “Where is God in all of this???”
It’s a strange question really, considering the fact that the crisis has just hit and that we haven’t had to slog our way through a long crisis yet, but nevertheless it’s one of the first questions to come. It’s closely related to another question, “Why Is God Letting This Happen To Me?” (which will be addressed in a separate devotion). I suppose the question, “Where is God in all of this?” gets at the fear that perhaps God has abandoned us. That is a real fear when a crisis hits, no matter how strong we are in our faith.
Isaiah 11:3 reminds us that human beings make judgments based on what we see and hear; that is, on outward appearance. We can do nothing more, for we cannot see beyond the information our five senses give us. Yet the judgments we make, based on such outward appearances, are very often wrong. We usually associate prosperity with blessing, and calamity with cursing. So when calamity hits us we instinctively feel that God is somehow against us, or that at the very least He has abandoned us. That feeling leads to thoughts such as, “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Why is God angry with me?” or “Why has God abandoned me?”
But such judgments fly in the face of what God’s Word has actually told us. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promises that He will alwaysbe with us, even to the very end of time. There is no condition on that promise as if to say, “I’ll be with you, but only when times are good.” Or “I’ll only be with you when you’re living a completely holy life.” His promise is unconditional. His Word also promises us, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deut. 31:8). And again He promises, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
2 Timothy 2:13 reminds us that even “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” The God who promises to be with us always will never leave or abandon us. He is with us through thick and thin, through times of joy and through times of crisis. We may feel that God has abandoned us, but our feelings are lying to us. They, too, are sin-fallen, easily prone to wrong judgments. God’s Word creates our reality, and so our reality is that God is with us even though we may feel that He is far away from us.
“Where is God in all of this?” Right where’s He’s always been: right by your side. The one who sent His Son to die for you will not leave you or forsake you in the storms of life. Remember, “your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). You are in Him and He is in you: “Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” John 14:23.
God is with you to comfort you, to love you, and to give you peace. You do not know where the journey that you have now begun will lead. You do not know how your life will turn out on the other side of this crisis. But you can rest assured that you are always in the hands of the Father, and His hands are gracious and good and faithful. He is a faithful God. You are never alone in the crisis that you are facing! Exactly how God will help you may not be fully realized until you are looking back on the crisis in hindsight. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say. But while you go through it, repeat to yourself “My God is faithful. He will never leave me or forsake me” whenever you feel that you’re on your own. You are not. God’s Word has promised it.
Prayer: Father, I feel so alone and so distant from you. I can’t see you in this crisis, and that scares me. Father, remind me of Your promises. My feelings are lying to me right now, because you’ve promised that you’ll always be with me and that you’ll never forsake me. I don’t know how this crisis will finally be resolved, but I believe that you’ll be with me through it all. Give me your peace, your comfort, your love. I need it now. Amen.
Day 1 ~ "Where is God?"
Matthew 28:20b: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
When a crisis crashes into your life a flood of emotions and thoughts hit you all at once. There isn’t a logical progression of ideas and feelings that sweep over you in some sort of chronological order. It’s more like a spontaneous explosion, with thoughts and feelings flying everywhere in your head. They don’t follow any type of rhyme or reason. They just are; they just happen. I suppose that’s one of the first experiences that makes us feel disoriented, that makes us feel like life is suddenly out of control. We can’t even control our own internal responses to the event that has blindsided us. And in my own experience one of the questions that flies out of this Big Bang of emotional reaction is the question, “Where is God in all of this???”
It’s a strange question really, considering the fact that the crisis has just hit and that we haven’t had to slog our way through a long crisis yet, but nevertheless it’s one of the first questions to come. It’s closely related to another question, “Why Is God Letting This Happen To Me?” (which will be addressed in a separate devotion). I suppose the question, “Where is God in all of this?” gets at the fear that perhaps God has abandoned us. That is a real fear when a crisis hits, no matter how strong we are in our faith.
Isaiah 11:3 reminds us that human beings make judgments based on what we see and hear; that is, on outward appearance. We can do nothing more, for we cannot see beyond the information our five senses give us. Yet the judgments we make, based on such outward appearances, are very often wrong. We usually associate prosperity with blessing, and calamity with cursing. So when calamity hits us we instinctively feel that God is somehow against us, or that at the very least He has abandoned us. That feeling leads to thoughts such as, “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Why is God angry with me?” or “Why has God abandoned me?”
But such judgments fly in the face of what God’s Word has actually told us. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promises that He will always be with us, even to the very end of time. There is no condition on that promise as if to say, “I’ll be with you, but only when times are good.” Or “I’ll only be with you when you’re living a completely holy life.” His promise is unconditional. His Word also promises us, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deut. 31:8). And again He promises, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
2 Timothy 2:13 reminds us that even “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” The God who promises to be with us always will never leave or abandon us. He is with us through thick and thin, through times of joy and through times of crisis. We may feel that God has abandoned us, but our feelings are lying to us. They, too, are sin-fallen, easily prone to wrong judgments. God’s Word creates our reality, and so our reality is that God is with us even though we may feel that He is far away from us.
“Where is God in all of this?” Right where’s He’s always been: right by your side. The one who sent His Son to die for you will not leave you or forsake you in the storms of life. Remember, “your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). You are in Him and He is in you: “Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” John 14:23.
God is with you to comfort you, to love you, and to give you peace. You do not know where the journey that you have now begun will lead. You do not know how your life will turn out on the other side of this crisis. But you can rest assured that you are always in the hands of the Father, and His hands are gracious and good and faithful. He is a faithful God. You are never alone in the crisis that you are facing! Exactly how God will help you may not be fully realized until you are looking back on the crisis in hindsight. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say. But while you go through it, repeat to yourself “My God is faithful. He will never leave me or forsake me” whenever you feel that you’re on your own. You are not. God’s Word has promised it.
Prayer: Father, I feel so alone and so distant from you. I can’t see you in this crisis, and that scares me. Father, remind me of Your promises. My feelings are lying to me right now, because you’ve promised that you’ll always be with me and that you’ll never forsake me. I don’t know how this crisis will finally be resolved, but I believe that you’ll be with me through it all. Give me your peace, your comfort, your love. I need it now. Amen.