Reality of God's Presence

A Prayer Already Answered

         Can you imagine what it would be like if God turned His back on you and left you to your own devices and instead of helping you, rejected you? Rejection from someone you love or admire is one of the hardest things to “take” in life. How much more if God Himself should reject you, God who is “rich in mercy” and Love personified!

        And His “forsaking” you means you no longer have God's help which you so desperately need. The Psalmist cries out in alarm, ^“Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.” Psalm 38:21

         “Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.” Psalm 27:9

         Tired and weary and old, he prays to God, “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.” Psalm 71:9

        But blessed be God, “the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.” Psalm 94:14 ”He who has begun a good work in you will perform it” (carry it on to completion). Phil. 1:6 We are where we have always been—in God's hands and He is working out His purposes for us. God does not start something and then not finish it. “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not abandon the works of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 NIV

         I remember many years ago when our youngest daughter was only about 2 years old or even younger, we were shopping in a neighborhood store where we lived in southern California and her mother was putting items in the shopping cart and stepped just barely out-of-sight for a few seconds to retrieve something and Lolly didn't see her. She cried out in alarm, “Mommy, don't lost me!” I scooped her up in my arms and reassured her that we would never “lost” her.

And scripture takes that a step further and looks at an historical “unnatural” aberration:
^“When [meaning 'if” or 'even if”] my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” Psalm 27:10

         “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37:25     My experience parallels the Psalmist's. I live alone now. But I'm never alone! The Lord is with me always. And I'm always aware of His presence—and so thankful to Him for it. “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16 ESV

          We walk by faith and not by feelings so when God says, “ I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” Heb. 13:5 we know it's true because God who cannot lie and doesn't want to, said it. The God of Truth said it. That settles it. May you also have an awareness—even if it's not emotional—and somehow sense the truth with your spirit and understanding, ^“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. . . “ Ephesians 1:18-19