February 07, 2022: Do We Hold on to God or Does He Hold on to Us? Is He Always There for Us?

In a message in "Our Daily Bread", I was reminded in the Book of Isaiah that God is always with us. He will not leave us or abandon us. It is we who abandon God during our everyday circumstances. During our busy lives we go about doing the things we need to do such as going to work, taking care of our family, and building our financial security.

All this is good, but where is God in our busy lives? It is not until the bottom falls out from underneath us that we cry out to God. We cry out: "Where are You, God...why are You not here with me?" "God does not leave us...We leave God".

Isaiah 41: 10

So do not fear, for I am with you.

Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

As I think back over my first thirty-five years as a Christian, my life with God was all about what "I wanted to do". I pursued my wants and my desires. When things got rough during my walk with Him, I would turn to God and blame Him for not being there with me..."Why didn't He stop me from choosing the wrong roads"? That was not God's fault, it was all my fault. God was always there with me, but I would never acknowledge Him or give Him the time of day in my life.

God was there every morning waiting for me to talk and pray with Him, but I chose not to. I chose to ignore my relationship with my God. He was always there with open arms waiting to embrace me and love me. As I came to my "complete and absolute surrender" to Him in November of 2013, my life with my God has been a very fulfilling life. I wake up every morning reading His word, I spend my time speaking to Him, and He shows me things in His word that I never knew were there.

When trouble now comes into my life, I do not question Him why He's not there. I now thank Him for being there with me and carrying me through the tough times of my life. My growing relationship with God has given me more opportunities in showing His love to others, and in turn, they too are blessed and encourage to build a better relationship with their God as well. Let us not forget the words of our Lord and Savior:

Matthew 28: 18-20 (NKJV)

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

As we begin each day, let us not forget to give God the time of day He truly deserves in our lives. Let us not forget that God is holding us by His "righteous right hand," and He will never let us go if we remain holding on to Him.