Don't Worry, I Am With You

The Bible is full of consistent promises.  We know that God is the same "yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), but it is always so awesome to see that consistency play out in between the covers of God's word.  One example is the phrase "I am with you".

    "The Lord appeared to him (Isaac) and said, 'Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you.  Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and your descendants I will give all these lands."     Genesis 26:2-3  spoken to Isaac

    "Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go"     Genesis 28:15  spoken to Jacob

    "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that is is I who have sent you"     Exodus 3:12  spoken to Moses

    "Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you."     Joshua 1:5  spoken to Joshua

    "Surely I will be with you and you shall defeat Midian as one man."     Judges 6:16  spoken to Gideon

    "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."     Isaiah 41:10  spoken to the nation of Israel

    "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you."     Jeremiah 1:8  spoken to Jeremiah

    "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."     Matthew 28:20  spoken to the Church

    "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you, so that we confidently say, 'the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What will man do to me?'"     Hebrews 13:5-6  spoken to the Church


To think that the God of all creation desires to intimately be involved in our lives is mind blowing.  He did not set life into motion and then stand back to watch it unfold.  God is with us!

This should motivate us to step out in faith to serve and to battle for Him.  The promise of God does come with a qualification.  It is usually preceded by a command; go there, stay here, tell these people, fight this battle, don't fight that battle.  God gives us the confidence to believe His word and the encouragement to obey His commands.  "Do this, and don't worry, I am with you." 

I heard a great analogy at church Sunday.  Our pastor was using the example of catching his 2-year-old daughter as she jumped off the edge of the swimming pool.  As he sat in the pool encouraging her to jump, he told her, "Don't worry, I will catch you.   Jump!".  That's what God does.  He assures us that if He calls us, He will catch us.  "Don't worry.  I am with you."  We have an entire book explaining in perfect detail what God desires from us, and it is consistent in its message; "Don't worry, I am with you." 

"God, do you really want me to go and tell the lost in China about you?"  "Don't worry.  I am with you."

"God, do you really want me to go and tell the lost at my job about you?"  "Don't worry.  I am with you."

"God, do you really want me to sell my house and move to another state to serve you?"  "Don't worry.  I am with you."

"God, do you really want me to end this relationship because it does not glorify you?"  "Don't worry.  I am with you."

"What if they laugh at me?"  "Don't worry."

"What if my family turns against me?"  "Don't worry."

"What it I fail?"  "Don't worry."

"What if they threaten me?"  "Don't worry."

"I am scared."  "Don't worry.  I am with you."

Is God calling you to jump?  Then you have an ironclad promise from Him.  "Don't worry.  I am with you."