“THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE” by Tammy Maseberg, November 20, 2012

 

“There is a God who loves me, who wraps me in His arms.

And, that is the place where I’m changed.  And, that’s where I belong.

Take me to the place, Lord, to that secret place where I can be with You,

You can make me like You.

Wrap me in Your arms…”~~ lyrics to “Wrap in Me Your Arms” by Michael Gungor

 

Don’t you sometimes long for God to take you into His arms?  To hold you and make you feel safe?  I know I do.  When things get tough in the world around me, my heart aches to feel the Lord’s closeness.  What a comfort it is to know that no matter what happens, God will never, ever leave us—ever!  “. . . God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”  (Hebrews 13:5b, NIV) And, He promises to never turn us away when we go to Him.   “. . . .those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” (Matthew 6:37, NLT)

 

Even though we may know that God is with us, sometimes we just need a person “with skin on” to physically hold us or to encourage us during our most difficult times.  Or, maybe it is us who will be there for someone else who is struggling through challenging circumstances.  We tend to look for people who make us feel that, no matter how upside down our world gets, we will stay upright in the midst of everything.

But, people come and go in our lives.  Very few will play primary roles for the duration; most will only be part of our lives for a season.  It can be difficult to understand why some relationships don’t last.  However, the hope we have is that God’s plan for us is bigger and more intricate than our minds can fathom.  He knows what and who we need, and then He will bring all things together in His perfect timing.

We can be certain that God won’t let us down—unlike people who may not be there for us when we need them the most—either out of choice or circumstances.  We can rest assured that He is not fickle with His love for us.  He is God, and what He says He means.  “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth. It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  (Isaiah 55:10-11, NIV)

Think about the words to the song above.  Let them sink deep into your heart.  Then, allow the Lord take you the place where He can bind up your broken heart and tend to your gaping wounds.  No matter what you are going through or what negative voices try to invade your thinking, God loves you and is with you through it all.

To watch the video of the “Wrap Me in Your Arms” go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR09SJDeu-8

 Be encouraged, Tammy

2012 Tammy Maseberg All Rights Reserved