It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20b ESV

“Lord, please be with him.” This prayer left my lips yesterday as I was praying for someone.  I actually pray this prayer a lot for people.  Lord, be with her as she experiences this.  Lord, be with him as he goes through that.  It is my go to prayer for those who need comfort, encouragement, wisdom, strength, healing, and well,  just about anything.

Yet yesterday as I prayed for this one young man, I felt God saying, “I am with him. I have always been with him, and I always will be. I AM.”

Well, duh, I thought to myself as God spoke this to my spirit. How could I have overlooked such an essential truth?! God will never leave us nor forsake us.  Let me repeat that:  God will never leave us nor forsake us.  Do you get it?  I’ve quoted this truth numerous times throughout my life, but I didn’t truly grasp its depth until yesterday–when God spoke it to my heart in a new way–a way that immediately transformed how I prayed for the young man and will pray for others in the future. Here’s the deeper view: God is always with us.  I don’t need to pray for something God is already doing!  Praying that God will be with someone is like asking for the ice cream cone you are already holding, or for some of us absent minded ones, it’s like asking where your glasses are when they have never left your face!  I don’t need to pray for God to be with someone; He already is, and He always will be!

Therefore,  instead of praying, “Lord, be with him,” or “Lord, be with her,” I need to pray differently.  I need to pray, “Lord, let them see You in the midst of this.  Lord, let them feel Your Presence.  Lord, let them see Your hand.”  Do you see the difference? God will never leave us; He is with us all the time.   But sometimes we need the reminder that He is always there.  Sometimes we need to see Him there next to us.

So I encourage you in two ways this morning.  First, if you are traveling through muddy waters this morning–if the road you are on is uncertain and unstable–well, God is with you.  You don’t need to pray this; you can know it! God is with you.  Right now–right where you are.  He is with you.  He always has been, and He always will be.  Second, if you or someone you know is traveling on the journey of adversity, then pray for eyes to see the One who never leaves our side.  Pray that you and those around you will recognize God’s sovereignty and God’s presence in all circumstances.

God is with you this morning.  God will be with you this afternoon.  God will be with you this evening. God will never leave you nor forsake you.  So today, I pray you will see Him. I pray you will see His hand, hear His voice, and feel His presence wherever you are.  I pray that in all circumstances you may know that you know that you know you are never alone. I pray that wherever you are and in whatever you do you hear God’s voice speak to your heart and whisper in your ear:  I will never leave you nor forsake you. Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.