Always Present

Read Deuteronomy 31: 3-8

"But the Lord himself will lead you, and will destroy the nations living there, and you shall overcome them. Joshua is your new commander, as the Lord has instructed. The Lord will destroy the nations living there, and you shall destroy them as I have commanded you. Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid of them! For the Lord your God will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31: 3-6 (TLB)

It had been raining steadily for five days, and the local forecast was predicting another two days of equally bleak conditions. Todd Noon, from New Jersey, found himself increasingly unmotivated to do much of anything, especially when it involved going outside. Taking out the trash, driving to work, letting the dog out - everything was a wet, depressing chore that sapped his energy and dampened his disposition.

Having not seen the sun in nearly a week, Todd decided to head to the gym in hopes that some physical activity might change his outlook. While driving through a particularly strong downpour, the rain suddenly stopped, the clouds broke, and the brilliant sun shone through long enough to change his perspective.

In that moment, Todd was able to recognize that though the storm had been shrouding the sun, it was never gone. So it is with God, who,as the Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 31, will always be with us, never leaving or forsaking us.

Too often, we are so focused on worldly cares that we forget that even in the midst of our storms, Jesus is still "the bright morning star" promised in scripture. It is good to remember that clouds cannot stop the light of the sun; they can only obscure it for a time. In a similar way, Christ never leaves us. He is with us through it all, ordering our days and preparing straight paths for when the clouds lift.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for your faithfulness every day, no matter the storm surrounding us, in Jesus' name. Amen.