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“The most frequent promise in the Bible is ‘I will be with you.’”

A thought by John Ortberg, (2009-05-18) from his book, God Is Closer Than You Think: This Can Be the Greatest Moment of YourLife Because This Moment Is the Place Where You Can Meet God (Kindle Locations 155-156). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

This thought by John Ortberg hit me as a thought you and I need to have reinforced with what is happening in our world today.

John says, “The central promise in the Bible is not ‘I will forgive you,’ although of course that promise is there. It is not the promise of life after death, although we are offered that as well. The most frequent promise in the Bible is ‘I will be with you.’”

He goes on, “Before Adam and Eve ever sinned or needed forgiveness, they were promised God’s presence. He would walk with them in the cool of the day. The promise came to Enoch, who ‘walked with God.’ It was made to Noah, to Abraham and Sarah, to Jacob and Joseph and Moses and David and Amos and Mary and Paul and too many others to list. It is the reason for courage: ‘Do not be terrified; . . . for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 NIV)’  It kept them going in darkness: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. (Psalm 23:4 KJV)’”

John shares “Dallas Willard (who lost his mother as a young child) writes of a little boy whose mom had died. He was especially sad and lonely at night. He would come into his father’s room and ask if he could sleep with him. Even then he could not rest until he knew not only that he was with his father but that his father’s face was turned toward him. ‘Father, is your face turned toward me now?’ Yes, his father would say. You are not alone. I’m with you. My face is turned toward you. When at last he was assured of this, he could rest. Dallas goes on: ‘How lonely life is! Oh, we can get by in life with a God who does not speak. Many at least think they do so. But it is not much of a life, and it is certainly not the life God intends for us or the abundance of life Jesus came to make available.’”

Maybe that is what you are feeling today.  Just know this He is near you today.  Just reach out to Him.

He does not cause the chaos of this sinful world but He does bring peace if we reach out to Him.


Would you do that right now?
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