With You Always!

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91:14-16

When men fight together against a common enemy there is established a lifelong bond that never leaves. Old soldiers who haven’t seen each other for years are instantly connected when they meet again. The struggle, the suffering and the mutual dependence that they had are all part of the glue that makes that bond unbreakable.

When men live together in times of peace and prosperity the bonds that develop between them are real, but not as strong as for those who struggle together.

If you want to have the deepest relationship with another person, go to war with them, not Disneyland! Uprisings against a government, where unarmed men and women take to the streets to protest are important because of the bond that develops among those who struggle. They may have no weapons, but the weapon of unity and common purpose. That weapon is, over time unstoppable.

The best promise of Psalm 91:15 is often overlooked. We look at God’s promise to answer me when I call, deliver me from my trouble, and even honor me. But as wonderful as these are the best promise is that God will be “with me” in trouble! God is not a rescue squad for which I have to wait when trouble comes. When trouble comes to a believer God is right there with him in the time of trouble. We have come to believe that if Jesus is with me I will not get in “trouble.” Not so! Jesus Himself got into lots of trouble. He was the focus of much turmoil in the world. He has not changed. So if you walk with Jesus trouble will come.

And I can rejoice because being in “trouble” with Jesus at my side is the stuff that builds the bond that only soldiers know.

So when trouble comes today look to see that Jesus is there with you and ask Him, “Lord, what do we do now?”

Never forget that Jesus said “I will be with you always.”