Any moment now the Doctor would walk in. He would say that everything was going to be ok. They had arrived at the hospital early that morning before the hum of a normal day began echoing down the halls. Married just a few years, his wife was sick and scheduled for an operation that could make her well again. So he waited. The ticking of the clock drummed in his ears. The waves of vacant plastic chairs reminded him how alone he was in this moment.
In walked two guys. “Why are they here? Are their wives sick too? Wait… I know them. They are from church. I think they’re here for me.” They came over and gave him handshakes and reassuring hugs. He barely knew these guys—and they shared hardly a word as they waited together—but their presence meant the world to him. He was no longer alone.
Revelation 1:8 says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
The phrase “ who is” in this verse tells us that Jesus is here with us right now. He’s not some distant savior who showed up 2,000 years ago and has been absent since. He is here, he is present, and he is in our lives today. Colossians 1:18 reminds us that “in him, all things hold together.” Just like the presence of those reassuring friends, he is near and present even when we need him most.
The doctor walked in. Everything went well. She’s going to be fine. Another round of handshakes and hugs with the guys from church, then they were gone. He was alone again, waiting for his wife to recover from the surgery, but he also knew he would never be alone.
1. When was a time someone was there for you when you felt alone?
2. In what area of your life do you need to experience God’s presence right now?
Jesus, thank you for your presence in our lives. Thank you for being a God who is here with us now, an ever present help in our time of trouble. Thank you for promising to never leave us or forsake us. Help us to trust that you are near even when it may not feel like it at the time. Help us to look to your presence for comfort during hard times.
