12th. May. 2020. Daily Devotion.

I have heard some sad stories this week about people’s experience of the Covid 19 disease. Of a teenager suffering difficulties with her breathing, and her mother having to wait until she gets worse before taking her to hospital, because the first test result came back negative. Of a family birthday party in Glasgow before the outbreak was recognised of whom three grandparents aged over 70 died. Of elderly folk in nursing homes who have succumbed to the virus. It seems so unfair.

Sometimes we can be tempted to think that God is not in such a situation and we give in to a moment of fear.

We’ve all felt at some point that God is distant or even ignorant. But nothing could be farther from the truth. God promises in His Word over and over again that He is always with us. Not only that, He has proven time and time both in the Bible and even in our lives today that He is there.

The presence of bad times is usually the greatest persuasion of God’s absence, but remember that various times in Bible times, God was there even in the midst of war, famine, flood, and even storms. God is with us always and promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

The best way to always remind ourselves of this is to remind ourselves of what God’s Word promises us when it comes to Him always being present in our lives. Here are seven scriptures that assure us that God is with us always.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Patrick Mabilog from Christian Today

——————–§§§——————–

The Lord showed them the way; during the day he went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud, and during the night he was in a pillar of fire to give them light. Exodus 13:21

When God calls us into the deep valley of death, he will be with us. Dare we think that he would abandon us in the moment of death? … Would the shepherd require his sheep to journey to the highlands alone? Of course not. Would God require his child to journey to eternity alone? Absolutely not! He is with you!

What God said to Moses, he says to you: “I myself will go with you, and I will give you victory” (Exodus 33:14).

What God said to Jacob, he says to you: “I am with you and will protect you everywhere you go” (Genesis 28:15).

What God said to Joshua, he says to you: “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forget you” (Joshua 1:5). from Traveling Light Max Lucado

Prayers

Lord, I long to rest in You and hope in You. Teach me today what it means to live in You.

Lord God, whose Son, Jesus Christ,
understood people’s fear and pain
before they spoke of them,
we pray for those in hospital;
surround the frightened with your tenderness;
give strength to those in pain;
hold the weak in your arms of love,
and give hope and patience
to those who are recovering;
we ask this through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

O God, who brought us to birth,
and in whose arms we die,
in our grief and shock
contain and comfort us;
embrace us with your love,
give us hope in our confusion
and grace to let go into new life;
through Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Father, you know our hearts and share our sorrows.
We are hurt by our parting from those whom we loved:
when we are angry at the loss we have sustained,
when we long for words of comfort,
yet find them hard to hear,
turn our grief to truer living,
our affliction to firmer hope
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Gracious God,
surround us and all who mourn this day
with your continuing compassion.
Do not let grief overwhelm your children,
or turn them against you.
When grief seems never-ending,
take them one step at a time
along your road of death and resurrection
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.