“…he hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”–Hebrews 13:5
We often hear or read of a person expressing comfort this way: “I know she is with me.” Or, “I could sense him guiding me.” They are referring, of course, to a sense of the presence of a departed loved one. While the memory of a loved one can be a comfort in life—the memory of love, wisdom, and experiences shared—we have no biblical warrant for anticipating the presence of a departed loved one as we complete our journey through life.
But we have good news! We absolutely have biblical warranty for expecting the presence of Jesus Christ with us. The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian to make the words of Galatians 2:20 a reality: “Christ lives in me.” Christ promised His apostles He would be with them, and Mark noted how Christ worked with them as they spread the Gospel (Mark 16:20). The writer to the Hebrews affirms the same promise to all believers—we are never left alone in this life (Hebrews 13:5).
A mark of maturity in the Christian life is moving from believing that promise to living as if we truly believe Christ is with us. Consider today: What would that belief look like in your life?
God has never promised to solve our problems. He has not promised to answer our questions… He has promised to go with us. –Elisabeth Elliot (Turning Point)
