JULY 23
FATHER IS ALWAYS THERE
John 16:32
Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (WEB)
Jesus knew that men's hearts were fickle. Even His closest friends would abandon Him when their lives were at risk. Although I am sure He would have appreciated their support, He fully understood why they would leave Him. The thing that sustained Jesus even in the darkest moments in the Garden of Gethsemane was that His Father would always be with Him.
He was never alone because of His Dad's closeness. When He was spit upon, His Father was there. When He was mocked, His Father stood by Him. When He was beaten and stripped of His clothes, His Father was near. I can't imagine the grief that Father God experienced watching His beloved Son endure such suffering from sinful man. Yet He never left His boy. He stood by His side.
Just as the Father was always with His Son, Jesus also promised to be with us. At the end of His Great Commission to His disciples in Matthew 28:20, He assures us that He will be with us always, even to the very end of the age. Today, I pray that we all recognize we are not alone. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have promised never to leave or forsake us.
As Jesus found comfort in knowing His Father was always with Him, may we also find the same comfort in our lives. Even when those closest to us abandon us, our God will be closer than we can imagine. May we have eyes and a heart to believe this is true today.
Psalm 34:18
Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. (WEB)
Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (WEB)
Jesus knew that men's hearts were fickle. Even His closest friends would abandon Him when their lives were at risk. Although I am sure He would have appreciated their support, He fully understood why they would leave Him. The thing that sustained Jesus even in the darkest moments in the Garden of Gethsemane was that His Father would always be with Him.
He was never alone because of His Dad's closeness. When He was spit upon, His Father was there. When He was mocked, His Father stood by Him. When He was beaten and stripped of His clothes, His Father was near. I can't imagine the grief that Father God experienced watching His beloved Son endure such suffering from sinful man. Yet He never left His boy. He stood by His side.
Just as the Father was always with His Son, Jesus also promised to be with us. At the end of His Great Commission to His disciples in Matthew 28:20, He assures us that He will be with us always, even to the very end of the age. Today, I pray that we all recognize we are not alone. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have promised never to leave or forsake us.
As Jesus found comfort in knowing His Father was always with Him, may we also find the same comfort in our lives. Even when those closest to us abandon us, our God will be closer than we can imagine. May we have eyes and a heart to believe this is true today.
Psalm 34:18
Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. (WEB)