I recently read a story about a traveler who was having a conversation with a farmer from upstate New York.

They both were discussing the weather, and the farmer assured the traveler that he could tell what the weather was going to be by watching the behavior of his cows.

“When the cows are standing, that means no rain for the next 24 hours. When they are lying down, well that means it is going to rain.”

The traveler asked, “What does it mean when half the herd is standing and the rest are lying down?”

The farmer smiled and replied, “That means that half of them are wrong!”

Predicting the weather and predicting the future is as old as mankind.

Well beloved, today I am going to predict your future. And I am convinced that what I will tell you is completely accurate.

Why am I so sure? For I am only going to repeat what God has already stated.

So, I predict and give you assurance that God will be with you throughout this year. And I can predict this with 100% accuracy. For God declared “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) God has promised all believers, all followers of the Christ, that He will do what? He will never leave you and He Will Never Forsake You.

What caught my attention when I was studying this passage is that it was in quotations, which normally indicates that it had been stated previously in the Scriptures. And when I investigated, I discovered it had actually been said many times before. God stated this promise to the nation of Israel: BIBLE “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” END (Deuteronomy 31:8) Again God spoke these words to Joshua as he prepared to lead God’s people into the Promised Land. God promised: BIBLE “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” END (Joshua 1:5)

This promise appears to be a constant theme throughout the Old Testament. God’s people were repeatedly assured; that God would not leave them. And now, God makes that same promise to You His people, He will never leave you or forsake you!

Now some may hear or read this promise and convince themselves that if God is going to always be with me and never leave me, that they will never encounter difficulties.

Life will be smooth sailing.

That they will never be frustrated or face troubles of any kind.

So is that true? Remember our Lord’s words.

BIBLE:  Your Father who is in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45) Circumstances that befall a believer are no worse and are no better than they are for anyone else. Paul shares to the believers gathered in Rome these words: BIBLE “What then will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will hardship, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword?”  (Romans 8:35)

Father Gary