Hebrews 13:5b: Our Father is a Constant and Faithful Companion

Hebrews 13:5b “for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”

Joshua 1:5b “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you”

The thin spider veins of ice and frost remind me more than the change in the weather that the seasons are changing.  Just like the seasons and patterns of weather on earth change though, so too do the seasons of our lives. Sometimes our lives flow from one season to the next seamlessly, melding nearly perfectly to the point that we cannot tell and do not notice that the seasons have changed. Sometimes, however, there are signposts that show the changing times and the changing of our lives: there are graduations, weddings, funerals, getting one's first car, having one's first broken heart,  buying a house, losing a house, and these are just the giant sign posts that everyone can agree on. Often times though, these signs are little ones that sometimes we recognize and sometimes we don't – like the thin strands of ice on my windshield. It could be as simple as being encouraged by someone at a low point in your life, or a harsh word of correction that strikes to your core. It could be waking up one morning to find that your water heater had gone out and the only thing you could do is pray and boil water on the stove. It could be taking a walk outside and seeing the stars clearly. It could be any number of things and for each person those little signs are different.

No matter where you are in life, though, there is one constant. Despite the change surrounding us constantly, there is one thing that does not change and that is Our Lord, our Creator, our Saviour, our God. Just as He promised Joshua to never leave him nor forsake him so to God promised that same promise to us. God offered us a place in His family, and when we accepted His offer, we were adopted into that family. No matter what we do after that, we are still His beloved children. Just because we are stupid at times, just because we make mistakes, just because we are occasionally angry with Him does not change anything. He is our Father and He loves us with an everlasting love that never ends. He won't let us drive Him away in a fit of rage, He won't leave because we disappoint Him.

Lamentations reminds us, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Just like His love, His mercies are unending. Every morning they are renewed and in a sense so are we. In the history of the universe, He has never broken a promise. Every morning is a new day, a new chance, a new life to live. Every day, our heavenly Daddy wants to show us something awesome and cool. Every day He is there to meet us at breakfast, on the drive to school, while we prep nervously for an interview or a presentation. He gives us soft, over the shoulder advice on everything we are involved in. He has never missed a ballgame or a dance recital. He has been there for each of our class plays and theatre performances, no matter how small our role. He was there for the big accident holding our hand in our shaken state. He was there while we cried in the agony of loss. He was there in the excitement of getting that new job or promotion. He has been with us every step of our lives through every season because He Is. He never leaves us or forsakes us. His love continues even when we don't. His mercies overwhelm us. His grace bolsters us in the bad times. He will never leave us. He will never leave you. Promise.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.