With Us

“The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, 'Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you!' 'Sir,' Gideon replied, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, 'The Lord brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.'"  Judges 6:12-13

 

Some of the most heartbreaking stories I hear are of those who come home one day only to find out that their spouse is gone. Their pain is palpable as they testify to the unexpected and unwanted demise of their marriage and family. The lonliness and abandonment they feel send a cold shudder down my spine as I imagine walking that miserable path. 


A similarly hopeless and defeated spirit engulfed Gideon as he pondered on the sorry condition of his nation. The people of Israel abandoned their pursuit of God and were experiencing the devastating consequences. Gideon, even in the presence of an angel, was not able to raise himself up out of the pit of despair. "God isn't with us, he's abandoned us!" grumbled Gideon. Wow, was he in for a wild ride!


At some point or another, we've all reached out for God and were met with nothing but a cavernous echo of our cries for mercy. Our circumstances seem to be sending us very clear signals, "You are all alone." In those moments, it's important to turn our attention to truth. Feelings and circumstances do not get to define reality, God does. His promise is crystal clear: I will never leave you nor forsake you.


Grace and Peace,

 

Tom

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