Feeling alone makes a difficult time even more difficult. It is easy to forget the Lord is with you. You may even feel separated from God. God make us for relationship and to share the company of others.
During creation, God had declared everything good, until Adam was alone. Genesis 2: 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”[1] This verse gives us insight into the importance of relationships and how much we need each other. It was not good for Adam to be alone and it is not good for us to be alone either.
Jacob Reminds Joseph that the Lord was with Him
Jacob was old and did not have long to live, but he wanted to pass along a blessing to his son Joseph and remind him that the Lord would be with him. Genesis 48:21 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. [2] As sinful humans, we all need reminders to look up to God and remember He is always with us.
The Scriptures remind us of the Lord’s Promise
The Lord tells us many times in the Bible that He is with us. He repeats this message because He knows that we need continued reassurance that He is walking with us, especially in difficult times. The Lord never promised that our life would be easy or that His presence with us meant a life of convenience or comfort. But He did promise to be with us repeatedly in His word.
Jesus’ last words before He ascended into heaven gave the promise of His presence with us. Matthew 8:20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [3]
The Lord is Present in Difficult Times
The Lord alone, holds the power to turn around any difficult season we face and bring great blessing and good through it all. Jesus Himself, while still in the womb, bounced along a difficult road all the way to Bethlehem. God didn’t spare Mary and Joseph from the struggle of a long journey. The timing seemed bad because it was so close to the birth of Jesus. God didn’t provide a nice, comfortable inn, or lush surroundings for Jesus to be born in. But, instead, allowed His very own Son to take His first breath in the humblest of surroundings.
Jesus came into this world in the darkness of night. Night is a deep, symbolic picture of what He came to do. The light of hope Jesus ushered in, came not when times were easy or bright, but when times were hard and uncertain. There was struggle, there was constant unrest, there was weariness, and many felt unsettled.
Jesus would be called Immanuel which affirmed He would be with us. Matthew 1:22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” [4] May the Lord continue to bless you and remind you that He is with you!
To hear more how the Lord is with you, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-jacob
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.