Forsake me not

I was reminded about something last night at Youth Group that I wanted to share. We have some student who are really hurting for dozens of different reasons. Specifically last night I got to catch up with some one I haven't talked to in a few years and hear about all that is going on in their life. Abby got to speak to a student, whom she has been having an ongoing conversation with, about some of the struggles she is having.

When we finally got to decompress from the night and my mind was just wondering, a phrase from the scriptures popped into my head. God says I will never leave you nor forsake you. Sometimes I don't think we understand the full gravity of that statement. When we are hurting God is right beside us hurting and going through the pain and struggle with us. The Bible says God is close to the broken hearted. When we go through struggles, even when they are caused by our own sinful actions, God is there. When we feel pain from lose, God is there. When we are in the pits because of our actions, God is there.

He will never leave you nor forsake you. That means even when you don't feel like God is there, He is because He said He would be. Never leave, never forsake.

There is this really cool story in the 1st book of the Chronicles of Narnia. The character Digory is telling Aslan the great Lion about his sick mother and asking if there is anything Aslan can do to help her. As he is talking he becomes emotional and begins to cry, overwhelmed with the reality that his mother is dying. He looks down at the ground and see his tears forming a small puddle but directly across from him he sees an even bigger puddle of tears. He looks up and sees Aslan weeping with him because of his pain and suffering.

God says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. In your time of trouble, pain, suffering, sin; you can always count on that.

May our LORD be with you
Josh