Nevertheless

Have you considered that the dailiness of God’s Word ever reveals the timeliness and the timelessness of His eternal Word?  I mull this over as I reflect on the weeks gone by… the events of different days and the Co-incidents I was so privileged to see in God’s Word — His living Word — His timely, timeless, living Word as well as in experiences and events around me.

O that I could just more plainly see, expectantly grasp what I read each day — each day’s applications are profound but I so often miss them in the moment.  But God.  But God who is rich in mercy shows me His eternal Word — shows me His abiding Word — shows me that He never leaves nor forsakes me.  But I’m so prone to wander… so prone to despair.  But God; His eternal grace covers me.

 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.   Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” —psalm 73.23-26

For all God’s done for me, why would I — how could I — possibly doubt Him now?  But I do… in the moment, when I let my thoughts wander, I doubt — and then, by the grace and mercy of God, I’m reminded — His timely Word reminds me: I am continually with Him — He holds my hand, He gives me counsel, He will receive me into Glory.  Where else would I go?  Where else could I go?  I have none in Heaven but Him and none on the earth to desire, trust, hope, seek: but Him. 

I watched as my husband’s heart was failing — but God was the strength of his heart — and it was God’s mercy to clearly show him (and me!) that He is our portion forever.

I think we get too caught up in the temporal — the things that are happening to us, the things that happened behind us and the things we fear happening ahead of us.  And in all these things, we have a tendency to forget God. We look down and around instead of up.  We’re prone to forget His eternal presence and His eternal purposes for us.  Caught up in the moments, distracted by all the pretty lures or painful pressures in life, we stop acknowledging the eternal Hand that hold us and often forgetting that if His eye is on the sparrow, how much more you and me?

Nevertheless. Consider that thought: nevertheless.  It means, in spite of all you see or think, it means the aside from all that,  it means regardless how things seem or appear:  I am continually with Him — He is continually with me — He is continually for me — His eternal presence surrounds me and His purposes for me (and for you) cannot be thwarted.

He may do for someone else what He does not or has not done for you — His plans for you may include great difficulty or sorrow — pain or illness — things that might tempt you to question His goodness or His presence.  But then, His plans for you may also include some serendipities, some marvelously unmerited favours and pleasantness.   These are the sweet things in life we tend to think are the best things.  But have you considered the sweetest times you experience may well be the most painful or arduous experiences — things you would not have chosen but would never trade away for anything?

Nevertheless… remember these things.