Never Alone

 

By David A. Sargent

    Steve Higginbotham relates an experience that will likely be familiar to parents of small children:

    I can remember a frequent routine that used to take place in our house when my youngest son was about six-years-old and my youngest daughter was about two-years-old. It would be evening, the family would be upstairs, and I might ask my youngest son to retrieve something from the first floor.

    He would quickly say, “But Dad, no one’s down there.” To which I would say, “I know.” Then he would reply, “But it’s dark and the lights are out.” I’d say, “Then turn on the lights and it won’t be dark anymore.” Then he’d say, “But I’m afraid.” And I’d say, “There’s nothing to be afraid of, now go on down there and get what I asked you to get.” Finally, he would turn to his two-year-old sister and say, “Hey Anne Marie, do you want to go downstairs with me?”

    Through the years, I’ve laughed about that. I mean, what’s a two-year-old girl going to do to help you when you’re scared?

    Presence - She’ll give you her presence. We value presence more than we may

realize. Our fears aren’t as great when we’re with someone else. The darkness doesn’t seem quite as dark. And our imaginations are kept in check by the presence of others *

    For those who have or who are experiencing storms (physical or emotional)… For those who are grieving the loss of loved ones… For those who are battling chronic illness and pain… For those who are lonely… It’s wonderful to know that IF we are children of God..... then we are NEVER ALONE!

    There’s only one thing that can separate us from God: our SIN! “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

    But when we were separated from Him due to our sin, God came to us in the person of His Son, Jesus. “And the Word became FLESH and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

    Even while we were yet sinners, God first demonstrated His love by His PRESENCE. Then, He demonstrated His love completely when Jesus died on the cross for our sins – so that we would NEVER have to be separated from God anymore! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

    We can be reconciled to God through Jesus when we: place our faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed; born of the water and the Spirit) for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; John 3:3,5). Then, as His children, we continue to “stay connected” to Him as we continue to walk in the light of His Word while the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

    Steve Higginbotham closed his article saying, “Thank God for two-year-old little girls who will go downstairs with their older brothers, and thank God for Jesus who promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).”

    Won’t YOU accept His offer of salvation and life? You’ll never be alone again.

David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org Steve Higginbotham, “Do You Want to Go With Me?” in MercEmail (5/31/13).