The big message that I believe the Lord wants us to hear today in this time of isolation is that there is no isolation for us from God.
‘He is with us’. The Lord is wanting us to begin to realize the immensity of this statement. It’s a phrase He repeats over and over again throughout the bible. Old and New testament.
He says it to us in all sorts of conditions of danger or endeavor ‘I am with you. Get it? The great I AM is with YOU. Let the Holy Spirit bring this ageless truth right into all your circumstances today.
It is not I am with you …..if you have prayed enough,…. been good enough,….sought me enough. This truth is ours because of who He is, Emmanuel God is with us. Jehovah Shammah , the name God gave to the exiles in Babylon for the City to built after their restoration to Israel. It means God is There. Ezekiel 48 vs 35. The symbolism is there also in Revelation 21 vs 2. Referring to us the church.
One of the most profound verses in the bible is in Psalm 23 When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear NO evil. Why does David state that amazing truth?… it’s because, he says, ‘YOU ARE WITH ME’.
Many are facing all kinds of different deaths at this time in many different areas of life, and our great shepherd is saying ‘fear no evil’ why? Because the great I AM is with you, and this is true whether you are isolating or going out to serve in difficult situations and circumstances.
The Lord is wanting us His children to know His presence (He is present) throughout the day in all the different situations in which we find ourselves, and He will open our eyes to this immense truth as we thank Him for the truth and the wonder that He is near, so very near to us, His children, at all times.
The amazing thing is we cannot isolate ourselves from God, we can however keep Him at arms length. This could be an amazing time for letting Him who is always with us, come closer by taking time to let down any walls that we have put up over the years because of disappointment, fear, doubt or confusion. We are encouraged to ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to us’ James 4 vs 8 . Let us ask the Holy Spirit to remove any barrier that is between us and God during this extraordinary season of isolation from each other.
Let us then copy David, who, in Psalm 16 states…..
vs 8,9 I set the Lord always before me, He is at my right hand that I should not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, my inner self rejoices, and my body too shall dwell in safety.
Vs 11, You will show me the path of life: In your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand there are pleasures for ever more.
