“They shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the LORD. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.” Jeremiah 15:20b-21
As I sat down to write I opened my Bible and a picture fell out. It’s a hand drawn picture of Jesus on the cross dying for us. My darling six year old drew it in purple marker and I asked her if I could keep it and use it as a bookmark. Even at the ripe old age of six she gets it. She understands why it’s so critical that Jesus died for us. She understands that the cross was the pinnacle moment of all history. In the verse above from Jeremiah it starts with, “They shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the LORD.”
One of the many names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means, God with us. It is of utmost importance that we really grasp onto this name Immanuel. It’s so much more than just a song at Christmas. In the Jeremiah verse we find why it’s such a big deal that He is with us at all times. He is with us for the purpose of protecting us, saving us and delivering us from our Enemies.
In John 16:32-33 we find Jesus talking with His Disciples on His way to the Garden of Gethsemane. He says, “Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me. I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Even Jesus had a time where He experienced tribulation and loneliness, yet He wasn’t ever truly alone. Although none of His friends stayed by His side, He still had the Father with Him.
We too have that same privilege today! In John 16:7&13 Jesus tells us, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. … When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.”
Then in John’s account of Jesus’ death on the cross, in John 19:30, we see that, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished,’ and He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.” In the original Greek, that phrase “gave up” is from the word “paradidomi” and according to Thayer’s Dictionary it means “to give over into one’s power or use, to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, or manage.” In that moment Jesus gave up His Spirit in order that we may then obtain it!
Long story short, when we receive Jesus as the atoning sacrifice that pays for our sins we are then able to also receive His “Holy Spirit”; the “Spirit of Truth”, the “Helper”. He did this for us in order that just like Jesus, when everyone around us deserts us in fear we would then never be truly alone.
Right now Fear is running rampant in our streets, the Government has been shut down, violence is raging over seas, natural disasters are increasing in magnitude and occurrence, it’s a scary world out there right now. There are many things to be afraid of. Yet as a child of God, we need not be afraid. We are not alone; God is with us – Immanuel. And because He is with us, in us, around us and for us we can lie down and sleep in peace because the LORD alone makes us dwell in safety. Did you know that “the LORD will fight for YOU, you need only to be still”. (Exodus 14:14) “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 139:10) Be still and know that the Helper has been sent to help YOU, from the little things to the big things. Cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for YOU! He cares for you so much that He would rather die than to live without you. Take heart my friends, He has overcome the world; and therefore so can we in Him. It’s going to be OK.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Tamar Knochel 