“With Him, Unto Him”

     We can all imagine scenarios in which it seems that we could not go on if certain things happened in our lives. 

    I write this in the hope that it will not lead to our pondering such possibilities, but rather that we consider the implication of succumbing to despairing notions of any type or measure.  We actually propose more about God than about ourselves when we embrace any possibility that things may approach us beyond our capacity to bear.

    By definition, born again believers have vouchsafed every moment of both time and eternity to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

     “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

    We may not always live accordingly, but deep within our hearts, the Holy Spirit bears continual witness that whether life takes us to bright summits, dark valleys, or somewhere in between, our Lord will await us with the grace to survive, and even thrive.  Thus, when dark imaginings confront us, we must allow them to foster inquiries not about ourselves, but about our Lord.  “Is God true?  Is His Word true?  Will He be where I am going?  Will He go with me as I am going?   Is He so present in both blessing and difficulty that He can justifiably command that I “rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice?” (Philippians 4:4).  Indeed, the question does not concern our strength, which will most assuredly not be enough.  No, the issue rather addresses God Himself.  Is He who He declares Himself to be?  Can He do what He promises to do?

     We know the answers, the blessed answers.  Our Heavenly Father has never disappointed anyone who has ever trusted in Him.  And He never will.  So, when “dark imaginings” approach with their portent and torment, we waste no time wondering about the possibility of our own faithfulness.  We rather cast ourselves into “the everlasting arms” that bear wounds of nails to assure us that the Lord Jesus will indeed be awaiting us wherever we are going, and He will go with us as we go (Deuteronomy 33:27).  The Psalmist declared that God’s faithfulness  “reacheth unto the clouds” because at Calvary, the Hands of that faithfulness stretched forth from a cross that proclaims until this hour that we go with Him as we go unto Him, wherever and whatever that may be (Psalm 36:5).  He will be there, and He will be enough, far more than enough for joy and peace to abide, and more importantly, for us to honor Him on summits, in valleys, and along level plains…

“I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Romans 8:38-39)

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

(I Corinthians 10:13)