God’s Presence – We Are Never Abandoned.

We’ve all been there—wrestling with anxiety as we face the unknown. Life seems fine one day and the next stalls due to an issue with no foreseeable solution. Perhaps our job ended or some other financial setback shredded our well-planned budget. Or a grim-faced medico delivered a devastating health prognosis. Might be that a relationship we’ve invested years building suddenly fizzled. Where do we turn? We know that God’s presence is promised to us. We are told that we are never abandoned no matter the severity and turmoil of the events, but those deepening clouds of gloom can give rise to hard questions:

• How trustworthy are your promises, God?
• Can I count on Your help?
• Why do You seem so far away when I need You most?
• How do I find a path through this dismal swamp?

Near the end of Deuteronomy Moses shared a promise with the people of Israel. And then he repeated it for emphasis.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NASB

“The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB

The writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament quoted Moses to let us know the promise remains in effect.

 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” Hebrews 13:5 NASB

Scripture underscores the presence of God 180+ times with 64 of those mentions occurring in the five books written by Moses (also known as the Pentateuch). Moses lived with the certainty of God’s presence. We may nod, but those hard questions triggered by adversity can arise in anyone’s thoughts. Charles Swindoll writes:

…In unguarded moments, even if you’re a mature believer, you may entertain an alien thought you’ve never pondered before: Where is God? If He’s everywhere present, and Jesus promises never to leave us, why do I feel so alone?^[1]

Let’s take a brief look at three men who faced complex challenges. And let’s zero in on the one undeniable fact in their lives which made all the difference.

Joe

As a youth Joe earned the tag “The Dreamer” as he shared with his family his visions for the future. Basking in his role as dad’s favorite, he enjoyed privileges his ten older brothers salivated over. At their first opportunity they sold him to a band of traveling merchants, who in turn sold him as a slave to a wealthy Egyptian. Joe did his best, worked hard, earned the favor of the boss, secured a promotion above all the other slaves, and then crashed as he was falsely accused of rape and sentenced to prison. His story, found in the book of Genesis, reveals one major advantage Joe carried with him in the daily grind.

As a slave in Potiphar’s household…

The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Genesis 39:2 NASB Emphasis added.

Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.  Genesis 39:3 NASB Emphasis added.

As a prisoner…

But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. Genesis 39:21 NASB Emphasis added.

The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.  Genesis 39:23 NASB Emphasis added.

Moe

After forty years of city-dwelling Moe opted for a simpler life in the country. His choices forced the change, but he landed on his feet, married the daughter of a wealthy man, and passed his days in the desert tending sheep. Though his watershed day began like hundreds of others, by evening Moe knew life had changed forever. He’d been drafted to return to the land of his birth to assume the impossible role of leading his people to freedom.

Moe had to convince the ruling monarch to release the people, an unlikely development given they represented an economic powerhouse of free labor. Diplomacy took time, but in the end the king got on board with the plan, and Moses and his relatives scurried out of town into, of all places, the desert. Familiar territory. But leading that rabble? Not so familiar. “We’re tired. We’re hungry. There’s no water. The king is coming after us, and we’ll all be killed! My feet hurt! Why didn’t you leave us where we were?”

Poor, Moe. He needed a pep talk more than once, and his God delivered. “I’m right here with you, Moe! Keep stepping forward!”

Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.
Exodus 33:12-15 NASB Emphasis added.

Josh

Josh eventually took the reins from the retiring Big Dawg, Moe. The new guy usually gets grief, especially from folks who dislike change. Can you hear the comments? “Moe was a better leader. What makes you think you can fill his sandals?” With little resources and even less experience, Josh had to form an army, spy out the territory ahead, and convince the people to put sandals on the ground to vanquish their foes.

Lying between the camp and the targeted land a flooded river surged beyond its banks, and Josh had no bridge-building engineers to tackle the problem. Discouragement might end the campaign before it began, but God had a promise to make to Josh.

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Joshua 1:5 NASB Emphasis added.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NASB Emphasis added.

Three men all with a spectacular advantage for conquering their challenges—God was with them!

Earlier this year we received the diagnosis from one doctor then confirmed by another that my dear bride, Shawn, has significant heart failure described as “not minor and not major.” That opened feelings and raised concerns we’ve not faced before. Shawn is doing well, has adjusted to her meds, and is growing stronger with her exercises. We hope the new routines will prevent further degradation in her pumping capacity, but only God knows the future.

Before that dust settled, I was diagnosed with heart issues also, and made the acquaintance of a couple of new doctors. Their concerns triggered a scaled-back summer of gardening for me and brought an invitation for a medical procedure where I was the guest of honor. No cause has been found, but in the meantime, I’ve been told to remember that I am old now and should scale the physical exertion accordingly.

As Shawn and I discussed all this, as we brought our concerns to the Lord in prayer, I re-discovered these verses, especially the highlighted portion. God is right here with us. Through this. Through anything.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 NASB Emphasis added.

After the Pentateuch, Psalms is the next book in Scripture with significant reminders of God’s presence (I’ve found 26 so far).  David, just like Joe, Moe, and Josh, took great comfort in the presence of his God.

As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And You set me in Your presence forever. Psalms 41:12 NASB

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?  Psalms 139:7 NASB

God’s presence? We can’t leave home without it. And besides, who would want to? Dear brothers and sisters, we are never abandoned. God is with us, and some blessed day, we will be with Him. Forever.

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^[1] Swindoll, Charles R. Clinging to Hope. Carol Stream: Tyndale Momentum. p 195.