If you’re struggling, this one’s for you.
It’s for the ones who are hanging on.
The ones who, given enough silence and space, would certainly fall apart.
The ones who are holding onto distraction like a life preserver in order not to face the turmoil inside of them.

It’s for more people than you’d think. Everyone carries burdens – even those that don’t wear them on their sleeves. Why? Because we live in a broken world that groans for restoration. (Romans 8:22-23) 

And if it’s for you, then may you embrace this truth: Your Shepherd sees you.  

YOUR SHEPHERD SEES YOU.

I’m not sure how that falls on your ears. If you’re like me, then your mind is quick to accept it and move on. Mental assent…check. Even agreement. But does it resonate? Does it change anything in your spirit?

In Scripture, we see an Egyptian servant named Hagar claim this truth. In a desperate situation with literally nowhere to go, the angel of the LORD found her. In the most vulnerable place, God rushed in with hope. He gave her a glimpse of the way He would continue to lead and provide for her – even in her pain. And in response to His care, Hagar addressed him as “El Roi” – the God who sees.  (Genesis 16)

I think the goodness of God’s seeing us isn’t just that He knows the extent of our condition or the impact made by our circumstances. It’s that He knows our deepest needs and actually moves toward us in compassion and intention to act in our best interest.  

What good is a shepherd who sees one of his sheep in danger and does nothing? A good shepherd sees and acts. His sheep find comfort in his presence and attention because they’ve learned by experience to trust that He will not only watch over them but preserve and care for them. Christ is truly our Good Shepherd. (John 10) While His actions don’t always bring about a change in circumstances, we can absolutely trust them to accomplish His good purposes for us. (Jeremiah 29:11, Job 23:10, Psalm 33:11)

Do you believe that God actually sees you, and that He really has compassion on you? Do you believe He really does care? Deeper still, do you believe He will faithfully meet your deepest needs? Do you believe He is moving toward you to care for you?

In seasons of suffering, we desperately need these reminders over and over, like truth washing over us in waves. When the tide goes out and takes with it our façade of strength and strips away all our defenses, God faithfully refills the exposed spaces with His truth and grace.  

He really is present with you. He really does dwell with you. He really is working in and through you. He really is shepherding you with a purpose, even though He occasionally leads you through shadows.

Your Shepherd Transforms You. 

When suffering knocks at our door, it’s so easy to strain toward relief from the discomfort. Every native instinct screams, “This isn’t right!” We want to hit the accelerator and get out of there as quickly as possible. But shedding the discomfort can also forfeit something hidden and valuable beyond measure.

Discomfort is the very condition where transformation of the heart takes place. Forging of our faith leaves us stronger than before. God’s track record of faithfulness in our lives is lengthened. Our trust in Him grows deeper. Suffering provides new vantage points to behold His character. It unlocks new territory to journey with Him and creates a deeper bond with Him than we ever dreamed possible.

But those processes can only be performed by the Lord in a malleable heart. Our invitation is to lean in and stay open-hearted and moldable. (James 1:12)

Struggling believer, take heart. In your season of being worlds from “OK”, God is taking painful circumstances and distilling something very precious from them. What our enemy intends for evil, He can and will reclaim for good. Seasons of suffering offer us the gift of deeper sensitivity to God’s presence and movement.

It’s going to be ok, not primarily because “this too shall pass”, but because you have a faithful shepherd who has promised you His presence in and out of storms. He prepares a table for you right in front of your enemies. (Psalm 23)

And it’s actually ok because He’s there.

““Jesus, You promised
Those You’ve been given
You’ll keep a hold of
With no conditions
Here in this desert
Is my oasis
A table prepared
A feast of Your faithfulness””

— Bethany Barnard, "Feast of Your Faithfulness"

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Suggested Resources

A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23

Pain To Purpose Devotional

All My Questions

ALAINA ROBERTS | ADMIN. ASSISTANT
WORSHIP MINISTRY

Alaina Roberts is the Administrative Assistant for FBC’s Worship Ministry. She is passionate about the importance of speaking truth, and she loves expressing that through worship leading and writing. She’s happiest when taking adventures with her husband Josh, or when she has a cup of light roast coffee in hand. (Real mug, preferably.)

If you were with us in person or online for our services on May 29th, you know that we all witnessed something pretty special - sacred, even. We wanted to take a collective “deep breath” and set aside a moment to evaluate how we’re all processing the brokenness of the world around us, and the brokenness that exposes within us. Our favorite part of Sunday morning was the opportunity for you to bring Scriptures and share them open-mic style, letting God’s living words fill the space in the room and in our hearts. Below, you’ll find each passage that was shared in each service, in the order they were spoken over us. Simply click the “+” icon next to each passage to expand. We pray this is a helpful resource to you! Here are a few suggestions of how this list could practically serve you this week:

• Revisit a handful of passages each day this week and let them lead you to praise God for His faithfulness.

• Pick out one or more passages and send them to someone who especially needs encouragement this week.

• Use the list to find a passage that stood out to you on Sunday morning, but whose reference you didn’t catch.

• Pick out a passage for your family to commit to memory together. Write it down and post it in strategic locations around the house as a reminder. (All passages listed below are taken from the English Standard Version.)

• Pick out a passage to use in your own devotional time with the Lord. Write out the passage in your own words, pray back the passage to the Lord, and/or identify ways that you can specifically apply it this week.

• If you didn’t get to share a passage on Sunday, include it in a comment at the bottom of this post.

• Send this list to a friend!

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FIRST SERVICE

• Psalm 62:1-2

  For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

• Philippians 4:4-7

  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• 1 John 4:4

  Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

• Lamentations 3:21-26

  But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

  The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

• Psalm 16:8

  I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

• Philippians 4:11-13

  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

• Isaiah 41:9-13

  …you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

  Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.

  For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

• Galatians 3:26

  …for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

• Habakkuk 3:17-19

  Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

  God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

• Joshua 1:9

  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

• Psalm 18:1-3, 25-26, 30

  I love you, O Lord, my strength.

  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

  I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

  With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

  This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

• Zephaniah 3:17

  The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

• Psalm 31:15

  My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

• Isaiah 26:3-4

  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

• Psalm 51:10-12

  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

• Psalm 46:1-2

  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea…

• Psalm 86

  Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.

  There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

  O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

• Isaiah 40:28-31

  Have you not known? Have you not heard?

  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

• Romans 5:2-5

  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

• Psalm 12:6-8

  The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

  You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

• Deuteronomy 31:6

  Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

• Romans 2:1-4

  Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

• John 15:16-17

  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

• Psalm 100

  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

  Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

  For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

• Psalm 121

  I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

  He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

  The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

  The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

• John 14:1

  Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

• Psalm 27:1-4

  The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

  When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

  Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

• Proverbs 3:5-8

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

• John 1:9-13

  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

• Psalm 105:3-5

  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered…

• Matthew 24:35, Isaiah 55:11

  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away….
  

  …so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

• Psalm 37:1-5

  Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

  Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

• Matthew 6:34

  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

• 1 Peter 1:3

  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

• Psalm 119:17-18

  Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Second Service

• 1 Timothy 1:15

  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

• Romans 10:9-10

  …because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

• Psalm 34:4

  I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

• Romans 16:20

  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

• 1 Corinthians 10:13

  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

• Psalm 63

  O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

  But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.

  But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

• John 15:16

  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

• Hebrews 13:8

  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

• Romans 12:1

  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

• James 3:16-18

  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

• Joshua 1:8-9

  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

• Isaiah 26:2-4

  Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.

  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

• Psalm 115:11

  You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

• Matthew 6:33

  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

• Romans 8:28

  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

• Psalm 40:1-2

  I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

• Psalm 72:23-26

  Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.

  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

  Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

  So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

• Ephesians 4:26-27

  Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

• Philippians 1:6

  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

• Jeremiah 29:11

  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

• James 1:2-4

  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

• Psalm 86:5

  Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

• 2 Timothy 1:7

  …for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

• Psalm 55:22

  Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

• Psalm 23:1-4

  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

• Daniel 3:17-18

  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

• John 3:16

  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

• Psalm 27:1

  The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

• Psalm 27:13-14

  I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

• Psalm 121

  I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

  He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

  The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

  The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

  For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

• Isaiah 41:10

  …fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

• John 14:6

  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

• Galatians 5:22

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

• Ephesians 3:20-21

  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

• 2 Samuel 14:13-14

  And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again. We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.

• Philippians 4:6-7

  …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• Proverbs 3:11-12

  My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

• Psalm 13:4-6

  …lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

  But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

  I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

• Psalm 139:14

  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

May you be blessed as you meditate on God’s promises and “feed on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3).

“I will be with you.” Depending on who’s speaking, it’s difficult to find a phrase more laden with comfort. When spoken by a parent, it’s powerful enough to embolden a thousand “firsts”. When whispered by your closest friend in the middle of a waiting room, it’s pure borrowed courage. It’s the quiet presence of a faithful brother or sister who can’t fix the situation but is committed to sitting with you in your pain. It’s the unquestioning resolve of your spouse to fight your sin with you instead of walking away. It may be the most native need of the human soul: the promise of presence. Beginning with the Garden of Eden, God has instilled in His children an innate desperation to hear these words from Him…

…And He’s been speaking them over us ever since. 

The following passages form a collective glimpse of this promise, echoing across the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Oh friend, read and relish His words with an ear inclined to hear His heartbeat:

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Genesis 26:3
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

Genesis 28:15
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

Exodus 3:12, 14
He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” …And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Numbers 14:9
Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.

Deuteronomy 20:2-4
“Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

Deuteronomy 23:16a
He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him.

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Joshua 1:5
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Judges 6:16
And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

1 Kings 11:38
And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

1 Chronicles 17:8
”…and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.”

2 Chronicles 20:17
You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:23
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:9
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1 John 4:16 
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

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God has always dwelt with His people. Stretching from Genesis to Malachi, God dwelt with His children, in clouds by day and pillars by night, in burning bushes and on mountaintops, in a moving tent, and in the Temple’s holy of holies. But it seems the greatest and most profound iteration of “I will be with you" was showcased over 2,000 years ago in a humble manger scene. What could have communicated His nearness more powerfully than God being born in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7)? 

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).

In the most demonstrable way possible, God pledged “I will be with you” to us in Christ. And ever since Christ returned to the Father’s side, He has dwelt with us in Spirit. Jesus Christ’s redemptive work guarantees we will dwell with God forever. He is with us, and He will always be.

“Immanuel, God with us.”
It is hell’s terror.
Satan trembles at the sound of it…
Let him come to you suddenly,
And do you but whisper that word,
“God with us,”
Back he falls, confounded and confused…
“God with us” is the laborer’s strength.
How could he preach the gospel,
How could he bend his knees in prayer,
How could the missionary go into foreign lands,
How could the martyr stand at the stake,
How could the confessor own his Master,
How could men labor
If that one word were taken away?…

“God with us” is eternity’s sonnet,
Heaven’s hallelujah,
The shout of the glorified,
The song of the redeemed,
The chorus of the angels,
The everlasting oratorio of the great orchestra of the sky.

– Charles Spurgeon