When I left the hospital, I saw a huge rainbow hovering over Rock Island. It dominated the sky and it reminded me that Jeff's faith was not in vain... because God is with us. And as I walked to my brothers' graves- Randy first, then Larry- I knew that God was walking with us because I could feel His presence. Indeed, there have been many times (some more subtle than others) in my life when I could hear God's voice and feel His presence because being "with us" is at the heart of God's nature. There were times when I felt as if I was too small for God, but the Biblical record is clear: God is with us and for us. He is knocking on our door, inviting us to trust. He is rejoicing with us, listening to us, crying with us, and leading us in the way we should go.
When Christ walked this earth he was present to every person whom he encountered. He was not at a distance, but deeply and personally involved in their needs and their lives, There was an "older" woman who had spent every time she had searching for a cure. It seemed hopeless, but then she turned to Christ. She followed Him, she touched Him, and then she encountered Him because he wanted to know her. There was an official who sought Christ because his daughter was dying. He was helpless and he knew it. He was not a disciple nor a religious leader, but he did love his daughter with all of his heart and Christ responded to his pleas. When Christ joined Mary and Martha at Lazarus' grave, the Bible says that he broke down and sobbed. As he looked into their vacant and tear-filled eyes, his broke down and sobbed, not because the situation was hopeless, but because he connected to their pain and hopelessness. When his disciples were filled with fear and in hiding, Jesus appeared to them, in their hiding and their fear, because they needed him. They had fallen asleep when he prayed at Gethsemane, they were nowhere to be found when he was being crucified, and they were huddling in fear and despair when He encountered them because that's what God does- He meets us in our deepest needs and stands with us in our darkest hour.
I could go on because the Bible is filled with examples like these, but God's healing and empowering presence is NOT limited to Bible stories. I've been blessed to see it time and time again. I remember a man who lost his job when he was in his 50's. He had worked for the company in the "company town" that he lived in for 30 years, but they moved to Mexico and left him with a comfortable home and no future. He was shocked and shaken, but he found comfort and strength in his faith. I remember a woman who had cancer and I was with her as she tried to make sense of it, became angry about it... and finally accepted it with grace because of her faith in God. She was hardly a preacher and never a saint, but she died believing that she was in God's hands and that He was with her! Years ago. I knew a young couple who had just joined our church and they were absolutely delightful. They got involved in our ministries and their marriage seemed strong, but then, without warning, her husband fell in love with an internet contact and left her with nothing more than a sense of betrayal and a broken heart. Sometimes, especially when people are new to their faith, they drift away when things like this happen, but this young woman turned to God because she believed that He was with her and that He would never leave her. Finally, I recall a troubled and confused young man who ended up in a rehab center back in 1976 because he couldn't stay sober or keep his head together. There were just a few people who cared whether I recovered or not, and I had no church background whatsoever. I had not tried to find God and seldom thought about Him... but God knew me and He sent one of His servants to let me know that He was with me and for me!
Oh friends, we are NOT too small for God and the day will come when we will all need God. It's just a matter of when it happens and what form it takes. While the sun does shine on the good and bad alike, it's also true that it will rain on both the bad and the good. There will come a day on which you will feel lost, confused, empty, desperate, lonely, frightened, hungry, unworthy... or any number of other things. Each of us will walk through the valley... and when you do, remember that God is WITH YOU AND FOR YOU! Believing that will be the only hope you have.
