Mensa Otabil - The Lord Will Be With Us
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First Kings chapter 8, verse 57: «May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us.» This was part of Solomon’s prayer as he dedicated the temple in Jerusalem. For many years, they had been building this temple, desiring to construct it, and finally completing it. Solomon dedicated the temple, but he did not see the temple as God; he viewed it as representing God’s presence. So he prayed, «Lord, as we see this temple and come to worship here, let us be reminded that You are with us.» We cannot replace God with buildings, things, or even men of God. God is God all by Himself, and the buildings we worship in simply remind us of His presence.
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the same assurance that He will be with us through the Holy Spirit. However, even with that assurance, sometimes we lose focus and our foundation when we are buffeted and kicked by difficulties. Many of us wake up in the morning with a lot of anxiety, especially if we live in a bustling capital like Accra or some other African capitals and cities, where there is so much traffic and stress. You wake up facing life with stress, and all of a sudden, you forget that God is with you. Many of us wake up with all kinds of questions: Will I get sick? Will I be okay? Will I be fired? Will my job still be there? Will I be able to buy things for my kids? Will my car start this morning? And on and on we go through these anxieties. By the time you’re halfway through the morning, you’re so weary and down.
Remember, God is with you. This does not mean there will be no trouble, but always remember God in the midst of all your anxieties, worries, and concerns. Don’t poison your mind and heart with all sorts of worries and anxieties that drain your peace. Instead of having the peace of God, you experience fear. Remember this: just as faith releases the power of God, fear releases all kinds of negative forces in our lives. When you face life with fear and anxiety, things go wrong for you, and nothing works out. Even situations that were working out can turn out badly.
We have to walk by faith. You might say, «Pastor, that’s difficult.» I know it’s difficult; I struggle to walk by faith. Everyone struggles to walk by faith. The apostles of Jesus struggled to walk by faith, and the people of Israel struggled with it too. But God expects us to walk by faith. In spite of our struggles, He says you have to trust Me. I am with you. Even if you don’t feel My presence, I am with you. I want to let you know that God is with you. He is a faithful God, and He is with you. You may not feel His presence or think He is near, but He is always with you. It is His pledge, His commitment, His covenant to you that He will not leave you. If you are His child, He is with you, and no matter what you go through this week or in the many days ahead, remember, God is with you.
Today, we choose to live a faith-filled life instead of a life filled with anxiety, worry, and uncertainty. God is with you.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I know You are with me. I reject the spirit of fear and embrace the spirit of faith. In Jesus' name, Amen and Amen.» I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.