Leave: January 29, 2013

TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 29, 2013.

LEAVE

DEFINITION:

Go away from; abandon; quit; omit; stop doing; postpone; desist from.

SCRIPTURE:

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”Hebrews 13:5.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The one thing that we remember vividly from when we were small children was that we did not like to be left alone. Both of us, as most children are, were attached to our mothers and when they left to go somewhere we experienced what they call separation anxiety. Usually it was acceptable if our father or someone we knew well was there. There was a sense of security when our parents were with us so when they left it was scary.

When we were raising our children we witnessed the same fear when we had to leave them, even for a few moments. When our fifth child was in kindergarten, Dottie was delayed in picking him up from school due to an accident that blocked the freeway. We did not have cell phones so there was no way to communicate to the school that she was on the way but was going to be late. Dottie was always early so this was the first time that she was not sitting there waiting. By the time she got to the school our son was in tears. As they were headed home he said to Dottie that he thought she had forgotten him and was not coming. All the way home she needed to assure him that he would never be forgotten nor would she ever leave him. As believers we can have that same assurance because our Father in heaven has promised that He will never leave us.

In this promise that we have in Hebrews (above) when God says He will never leave us nor forsake us He means that we have at all times all that he has and is. Just think what that means. God gives to those that believe in Him everything. He is almighty, all powerful, all knowing and thus all of His attributes are with us at all times because He is always with us. As children of God, no attribute of God can be kept away from us.

It is also important to note that when God makes a promise and says He will never leave us, He keeps it and it is intended for all who believe in Him. Yes, whatever God said to one person, He has said to all the generations that followed.

Just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses gave them this same promise from the Lord. He said in Deuteronomy 31:5-6, “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”God then gave this same promise to Joshua telling him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5.

What wonderful assurance for us! Just as God promised to never leave Moses, Joshua or the Children of Israel as they faced the tough job of conquering the Promised Land so will He be with us even in the midst of the toughest battle. We can be certain that we will face difficult challenges in the evil world we live in.

When God opens a well for one to drink from, He opens it to all who accept it. When He gave the Word to Abraham and when He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He gave it to all. God is not a respecter of certain people only. He wants us all to partake of His love and the blessed assurance that He is always there for us and will never leave us. We may leave God, but He never leaves us.

There is not a blessing that God has given that is too high, too large or too big for anyone who will accept it. We need to climb to the highest mountain, as Moses did to view the Promised Land, and then look to the north, to the south, to the east and to the west and just stand there in awe and view the vastness of what God has given us for the land is all ours. There is not a brook of living water that we cannot drink from and if the land is flowing with milk and honey, we can partake of it.

Whatever attributes compose the character of God we, who are His children, have constant access to an all wise and all knowing God because He is with us always and will never leave us. There is nothing you may want, nothing that you may ask for or nothing you need that cannot be yours because God has promised that for those that believe on Him, serve Him and honor and praise Him, he will never leave you nor forsake you.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 13:8.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

SCRIPTURE:

Thank You for never leaving me nor forsaking me. Thank You for this promise and the assurance that I have in my heart as to its truth. May my life reflect the assurance I have that you are always with me so those who do not know You will desire to have the assurance I enjoy. Make this a special day in my life.