"I Will... I Am"

     The Lord Jesus Christ warned us to be on guard against those who beckon us to receive intruders into our hearts and minds.

    "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself" (Matthew 6:34).

    Our Lord's admonition regarding the future involves contemplations of fear and insecurity.  We are not to "take" those thoughts, implying that someone offers them to us.  Someone does, namely, our spiritual enemies who seek to thwart the peace of this moment known as we trust the Prince of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The world, the devil, and the flesh would have us look ahead to fearful possibilities, most of which will never happen.  They paint a scene for our minds of what could happen, and they always leave out the most important detail of tomorrow.  Namely, the great fact of the future will be the same great fact of the now.  God Himself is that fact.  His "I am with you" will fulfill the promise of "I will be with you" (Matthew 28:20; Isaiah 43:2).  For the trusting believer in the Lord Jesus, tomorrow will be full of His presence and working on our behalf, no less than today and no less than this present moment.  Thus, even if difficulties do arrive upon our doorstep - and some will - we will not face them alone as, again, "I will be with you" becomes "I am with you."

    The great fact of our past, our present, and our future is God.  We look back to see His faithfulness.  We presently open the eyes of our heart to see the same glory.  And we look ahead to the promise of One who cannot lie, and who assures us that every destination shines with the light of His presence.  In such blessed illumination, we take no thought that fails to affirm the truth of "I will be with you."  Godless contemplations of tomorrow are intruders who have no place in hearts of peace graced with the Prince of peace.  He waits for us there even as He is with us here.  Let us refuse to receive any intruder into our hearts and minds who would suggest otherwise.

"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you."

(II Chronicles 20:17)

Weekly Memory Verse

   For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commented.

(II Corinthians 10:18)