“Had not the Lord been with us,
Let Israel say,
Had not the
Lord been with us,
When people
rose against us,
They would
have swallowed us alive…
Blessed be
the Lord, Who did not leave us…
Our help is
the name of the Lord,
The maker of
heaven and earth.”
Hear the gratitude, relief, and joy expressed by the Israelites. The Lord stayed with them and helped them when they needed it most. “Had not the Lord been with us...” They knew He had been with them from the beginning. He was with them when all was well, and He was already there when their troubles started. We may not know all the details of their struggles or how He saved them, but it’s clear they recognized and celebrated that God was with them through their difficulties.
Where is God
now, thousands of years later?
God lives in
you; His love created you. He is, He has been, and He will be with you -- and
everyone else – always, when days are easy and when they’re difficult. Maybe we
don’t have enemies like the Israelites did, but we do have troubles; they’re
part of life. God doesn’t promise that difficulties won’t happen. What He does
promise is to be with us before, during, and after these storms. God promises
to stay with us and help us grow toward a place of peace.
God loved
everyone and everything into being. Look around and see that He’s everywhere,
loving you and caring for you. He’s in your friend who makes you laugh and
eases your pain for a while. He’s in the child who hugs you and makes your
heart swell with joy. He’s in your doctor, nurse, and other medical providers
who speak kind words to you. He created the sun, and so He’s with you when you
rest outside and let His sunshine warm you.
God lives in
you so that you can show His love to the people around you, too. The love you
share may be the answer to someone’s prayer. He’s in the compassion that moves
you to look out for your neighbors before, during, and after a natural
disaster. He’s there when you cuddle with a frightened child. He’s with you, listening,
when you ask Him to bless or heal your loved ones. He inspires you to help
those in need: to bring meals, or babysit, or drive to appointments, or just
sit with the person you care about and offer a listening ear or a shoulder to
cry on.
Look and see
that God is everywhere. See His presence in the beauty of creation, in the
people around you, and in the stirrings of your heart. God is with you, always has been
with you, and always will be with
you.
“Help me recognize Your
presence all around me, Lord. Fill me with the desire to draw closer to You.”
Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina
Bedell Comments are always welcome!
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